Hey there— Alex here,
Criticism can be tough to digest.
The restaurant industry as a whole is highly critical; customers are critical of service and food, staff members are critical of policy, and trolls are just critical of everything.
You can lose yourself in all of it.
Criticism is almost entirely centered on a problem and, more often than not, it points out that problem without a solution.
What I try to encourage, whether it be for a restaurant or a relationship, is constructive feedback. Feedback is constructive when it acknowledges a problem and then opens the door for a dialogue aimed toward a resolution.
I feel like maybe we are taught to communicate critically at a very young age instead of using feedback as a more positive tool. This slight adjustment to being open to feedback allows space for actual positive change, personally and in your organization.
This is definitely something I haven’t mastered, but I strive to get better at it every day.
“Honesty is a very expensive gift; just don’t expect it from cheap people.”
– Warren Buffet
If a person is willing to offer you honest feedback, take it as a gift, or at least try to.
