This week’s video tip is all about how to deal with criticism in your business.

This is a biggie and I see a lot of people get stopped by this. I always think of the Zig Ziglar quote:

Don’t be distracted by criticism. Remember the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.

The thing is, you can’t take criticism to heart.

When others criticize (and they will, as you continually step out in a bigger way in your business), understand that it’s often a reflection of what they feel least competent about or least like about themselves. The key is to not react to it–or at least in a way that throws you off track.

That being said, I want to give you 5 pointers this week for how to deal with criticism when it happens to you:

1) When constructive, acknowledge it. Sometimes this is the case, and when it is, your best bet is to accept it–and then make changes or tweaks if needed. Then, keep moving along. 😉

2) If appropriate, shield yourself from it. It sometimes makes sense to have a VA or team member handle some of your email, and if you give them some guidelines, they can also shield you from non-constructive (and once in a while just plain nasty) comments and correspondence.

3) Direct the person from complaints to constructive suggestions. This is about turning a negative into a positive, often when the complaints are stemming from a simple misunderstanding or crossed wires.

4) “Don’t feed the trolls.” They want a reaction out of you–don’t give them the satisfaction if they are simply being mean for mean’s sake. Ignore it and keep on moving forward.

5) Remember, opinions and put-downs don’t define your business OR your self-worth. Enough said.

If all else fails, realize that so many people need you–don’t cheat them by letting yourself shrink back and play small because of your fear of getting criticized.

Have you experienced criticism in your business? How did you handle it? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!