Helping Staff Handle Criticism
As can often be the case at many newspapers, the relationship between Editors and other staff can become strained when suggestions meant to improve the content cause an individual to feel antagonized.
Personally, I’ve always found that wrapping a critique in a compliment is the best delivery system.
Blue= Compliment
Red= Criticism
“Your headline was great. I think the story needed a lot of work. There are several places where you can improve it. The idea is good though. I’m looking forward to seeing the next draft.”
Of course it is possible that the recipient may still be somewhat indignant. By nature, some just don’t respond well.
What do you do when you need to correct a person with whom you work?
How do you give criticism?
If they don’t respond well to the criticism… what do you do? How should one smooth things over?
5 Responses
I’ve used that method a lot in the past, and my staff has named it the “insult sandwich,” so I’ve had to move away from it. Every time I gave a compliment, they’d just stand there waiting for the bad part.
This year, I’ve been able to make my staff critique themselves. Rather than approach them and tell them what is awful on their page last week, I ask them what they think. If they don’t get it, I ask more and more specific questions.
“What do you think about how the section went last week .… How about page 11 .… Is there anything you’d change .… How do you think the Andy Iams feature turned out .… do you think that picture looks good?”
As opposed to: “That feature picture on page 11 sucks.”
A couple months into the year, I hardly have to do this anymore with my staff, because the majority of the time, they ask themselves those questions during the week, and things end up looking nice.
Connor–
I like those ideas. The concept of the “insult sandwich” is a likely end result after prolonged exposure to a systematic critiquing system.
What happens if the staff person doesn’t come to the same conclusion. What if they DON’T see a problem with the Andy Iams feature?
Do you then go back and try to re-train them on “what makes something good”?
I don’t think you can get too caught up on agreement regarding all criticisms. This is a touchy-feely thing choosing what is “good.” Some things are absolute in this industry, but many others are not. Even professionals won’t come to consensus on what is good most of the time. If a staff member doesn’t agree all the time, I think you have to let it go. Save your what is good and what is bad for those definitive examples — so the whole staff can learn. If some stuff is just ok, it may not be worth pointing out.…
I think pointing to industry standards is always a good way to deliver criticism — what do the pros do and how does this contradict with standard practice?
I like Connor’s approach and wanted to add an idea to it.
I think instead if they don’t get the “what do you think of this (story/photo/design)” question like you want them to or are expecting them to, it’s time to ask:
“How could this be made better? What do you think the problems and what can we do to fix them?”
BUT be prepared with your own answer in case they’re vague, simply say they don’t know or for some reason think it’s perfect. (which we, as journalists, know that’s never the truth)
I really like the phrase “if you aren’t a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem,” and I think that really holds true when it comes to giving out criticism.
Being unable to accept criticism is just unacceptable in a properly functioning newsroom. It is something that needs to be taught in college newsrooms, for sure, and fostered. But there can not be a compromise to coddle young journalists. Disagreeing is acceptable, of course, but being unwilling to accept criticism doesn’t work.
I also like jahughe’s last comment: I really like the phrase “if you aren’t a part of the solution, you’re a part of the problem,” and I think that really holds true when it comes to giving out criticism.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.