• Question: How do you deal with criticism over what you make/design?

    Asked by Alice.L to Shruti, Mark, Faranak on 18 Mar 2019.
    • Photo: Shruti Turner

      Shruti Turner answered on 18 Mar 2019:


      I like to think that I take it well. Working in research and the academic world, you have to get used to people disagreeing with and criticising your work. We’re all researching things in so much detail that we will naturally have our own ideas about things.
      I try to take it constructively, yes sometimes it’s upsetting because I’ve worked so hard, but most people aren’t doing it to tear you apart, but to help you. I try to take it on board, write notes about what they’ve said and then when I’m feeling a little less upset, look up the thing that have been said objectively and see whether I agree with them. They might have told me something that I have never even thought about which could help me.
      Having said all that, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t hurt sometimes, which is totally natural. I’ll make a cup of tea or go home and need a bit of comfort. The key is to pick yourself back up and make a clear, well researched decision to see whether you agree with the criticism or not. Will it help you or can you just forget about it and move on?

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