Are You Resilient?

It is never easy to hear that you are not meeting expectations. I have known employees that could not recover from a poor performance review. I have also witnessed people gracefully accept some pretty harsh criticism and miraculously use the feedback to their advantage. The world will deal some harsh blows and your ego will likely get bruised many times in the course of your career. That makes resiliency a quality worth cultivating. Here are five steps for recovering from taking a hit at work:

Take it in
You don’t have to agree with everything you are hearing. You don’t have to like the fact that you are being called to task for a job poorly done. But, chances are there is some truth in the message. Accept the information with an open mind and an open heart. You cannot improve without being made aware of areas of weakness.

Avoid lashing out
The first reaction is often to strike back or defend our actions. You may feel that now is the perfect moment to let the other person know what you think of their work. This is not the perfect moment. Hold your tongue so you don’t say something you will regret later.

This too shall pass
I have coached many employees through rocky periods. In the midst of a conflict or performance issue, it often feels as if the entire world is against you. But guess what? The pain, fear, and anger you feel will subside. I promise.

Get back on the horse
Don’t sulk around the office or avoid the person who confronted you. Forget about giving notice or quitting. Don’t go on and on about the incident with your trusted cube-mate. Get back to work!

Don’t Set Yourself Up for More of the Same
You can significantly lesson the chances of ending up in the hot seat again if you commit to doing really good work. No one is perfect but if you give your best to your job, it is likely that it will be good enough.

on Facebook on LinkedIn