Constructive Criticism: Definition, Examples, & Tips​

By Justine Saavedra, MS​
​Reviewed by Tchiki Davis, M.A., Ph.D.

Learn about constructive criticism as a tool for personal development. Discover tips on how to deliver and receive constructive criticism. 

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Constructive criticism–also known as constructive feedback–is the act of providing feedback to someone in order to better their performance. This interaction usually occurs between two or more people and there are two positions–the person who is giving the feedback and the person receiving it. If given and received in a mindful way, constructive criticism can provide someone the guidance they need to advance their growth and skills.

Giving constructive criticism is a common way for people to communicate where improvement could be made or maybe where expectations aren’t being met. It is important to be mindful when giving feedback. Sometimes something as “small” as tone of voice or body language can be seen as threatening to the person receiving feedback. Learning to provide mindful, productive constructive criticism is an essential part of managing both personal and professional relationships in your life.

Receiving constructive criticism can be an uncomfortable experience–no one likes to hear about mistakes they made or how they might be falling short. Research has found that our reaction to negative stimuli is more sensitive so we may experience a more intense reaction when receiving negative feedback (Baumeister et al., 2001).

However, you can try to view constructive criticism as a tool for you to grow and improve. It is hard to receive feedback if it is provided in a negative or condescending way. If this happens to you, try to politely provide that person with some feedback on how to give better constructive criticism.

“Constructive” means to build up and “destructive” means to tear down. When you give someone constructive criticism, it should be with the intent to build them up and show them where they can be better. Giving someone destructive criticism can tear them down and cause them to have negative feelings towards themselves and even toward you for making them feel bad. 

Examples of destructive criticism:

Intended to tear someone down

Nit-picking or micromanaging

Personal attacks

Not specific or actionable

Constructive criticism is a powerful tool for learning and growing in just about every area of life. Whether in a personal or professional setting, receiving feedback can illuminate where you might need to improve. It is important to remember that no one is perfect and every person has areas of life where they could be better. This doesn’t make you a bad person–it simply makes you human. 

Receiving feedback is an essential piece of the learning process. “Constructive feedback is a powerful tool and facilitates the learner’s professional and personal development” (Bhattarai, 2007). The process of giving and receiving feedback can help improve communication skills and reflection. Therefore, learning to give and receive constructive criticism can be beneficial in most areas of life where you need to communicate with other people. Even if they are uncomfortable, tough conversations can help strengthen your relationships with others.

Joey is struggling to meet his deadlines at work. His supervisor, Amari, has noticed that something is going on so he schedules some time to meet with Joey. Amari says, “The assignments you turn in are high quality but it seems you are having a hard time meeting deadlines. Can I ask you about your time management strategies and share some tips that work for me?” Amari leads with positive feedback before approaching the issue with curiosity and helpfulness. 

Dea is a freshman in high school and she is having a hard time understanding her algebra homework. Mrs. Rodriguez, her teacher, notices that Dea has gotten a C- on her last three assignments. She approaches Dea after class and says, “It seems like you understand some concepts but are struggling with others. Can I offer you some study group and tutoring information?” Mrs. Rodriguez intervenes as soon as she notices a problem which allowed Dea enough time to get her grades up.

Ava is a single mother and her six-year-old son Elijah is having a meltdown at the mall because she won’t buy him the toy he wants. She tells him, “It’s okay to have big feelings and to be disappointed but it’s important that we learn to calm ourselves down too. Look at me and let’s take three deep breaths together.” This demonstrates to him how he can regulate his emotions in a healthier way in the future.

The workplace is a very common setting to receive constructive criticism. If the feedback is given in a helpful, mindful manner it can be used as a tool for professional growth and developing professional relationships. Learning to receive and respond to this feedback effectively can increase an employee’s skills and knowledge. However, if an employee feels criticized or micromanaged they might become unhappy and seek employment elsewhere–an unfortunate outcome for both the employee and the employer. If you feel your supervisor is condescending, belittling, or rude while giving feedback, it might be an issue to bring to the Human Resources Department if possible. The supervisor may simply need to learn how to give more effective constructive feedback.

Criticism in relationships can be a touchy issue–if it is framed in the wrong way the other person might feel attacked. “Perceptions of hostile criticism from close others are associated with poor individual functioning and low relationship satisfaction, whereas perceptions of constructive criticism are associated with better relationship satisfaction” (Klein et al., 2016).

Being honest about the emotional regulation capabilities of yourself and your partner may be an important consideration when providing constructive criticism in a relationship. The above study found that couples with a higher level of individual emotional regulation capabilities perceived criticism more constructively–couples with less individual emotional regulation capabilities perceived criticism as more hostile (Klein et al., 2016). 

If your partner has a behavior that you feel could improve or change, it can be helpful to approach the issue using “I” statements. For example, if you are concerned about your partner’s health, you could say, “I want to have you around as long as possible” and then invite them on a walk with you. This shows your concern without placing the blame on them and invites them to spend quality time with you while getting some physical activity.​

Delivering constructive criticism can be a daunting task. With practice, patience, and tools you can learn to give feedback in a mindful, productive way. 

1. The Sandwich Method
​​​This method uses positive feedback as a way to soften the blow of constructive criticism. Essentially, you “sandwich” the criticism between two pieces of positive feedback. This highlights where the person is shining while also showing them where they could improve.

2. Make It A Conversation
Try to avoid one-sided conversations when delivering constructive criticism. Approach the situation with curiosity and the intent of trying to understand where the other person is coming from. Offer solutions and tips you have found useful if you think they might help the other person.

3. Be Mindful of Your Delivery 
When delivering constructive criticism, it is important to be mindful of your tone and body language. Try to maintain a friendly, curious state of mind. Harsh tones or negative body language (such as crossing your arms) can make people feel defensive.​

Providing constructive criticism to others takes time and practice. There is a fine line between providing constructive feedback and outright criticizing someone. However, it is also important to give feedback if something needs to be improved. Outright praise is not always helpful. Consider the following constructive criticism phrases which you can use in various situations. Try to preface the criticism with acknowledgment of what the person is doing right.

If utilized correctly, constructive criticism can be a fantastic tool for personal development. When you surround yourself with people you trust, you can trust that the feedback they give you is with your best interest in mind. Being open to constructive criticism in your work, relationships, and life can help you identify areas where you can improve.

Receiving constructive criticism does not have to be an unpleasant experience. With a few tips, you can learn to hear criticism with a receptive ear, process the criticism, and incorporate the helpful feedback into your life.

1. Try to remain calm and grounded
When receiving criticism, try to remain calm and grounded in your body. Try not to let your emotions get the best of you. Hopefully, the person giving you constructive criticism is doing so in a kind, helpful manner. However, if the person is being condescending, it is even more important to remain in control of your emotions so you can respond in a mindful way.

2. Listen closely to what the other person is saying
Try to listen and really understand what the other person is trying to communicate to you. Avoid interrupting or responding with a rebuttal right away. If you don’t understand something, make sure to ask clarifying questions.

3. Respond, don’t react
When you react without thinking, you might say or do things out of anger, embarrassment, or hurt that you will regret later. Take a deep breath before responding to criticism you receive.

4. Take time to process the information and your emotions
It can be difficult to learn that we have made mistakes or have not been doing something right. If you find that the criticism has made you emotional–this can even happen when given in a positive way–allow yourself time to process. Ask to step away from the situation or for some time to respond to the feedback if you need.

5. Incorporate helpful feedback into your life – and ditch the rest
Some pieces of constructive feedback you receive will be immensely helpful while other pieces will be useless or even hurtful. It is important to learn how to discern which pieces of feedback to keep and which pieces to discard. Try to incorporate the useful pieces into your life and see if you notice any benefits.

​Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

If you’d like to keep learning more, here are a few books that you might be interested in.

Constructive criticism is the feedback that is given with the intent to improve someone’s behavior or performance. This criticism should be delivered with the purpose of building someone up to be better rather than tearing them down to make them feel bad. Learning to give productive constructive criticism and how to receive and respond to feedback in a mindful way can help you grow. Constructive criticism can be a powerful tool to facilitate both personal and professional development. ​

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