5. Have a vested interest.
It’s hard to receive criticism from people who really aren’t interested in the overall vision.
For example, if you tell me you’d “never attend a church like the one I pastor in a million years,” I’m less likely to value your criticism about the music we sing. (And that’s happened … more than once.) If it’s obvious you love the vision, you’ll be more welcomed to critique the methods by which people are trying to attain it.
6. Be humble enough to admit you may be wrong.
You might be, right? Unless it’s a clearly spelled out biblical principle, then it is subject to interpretation. Yours might be right or it might be wrong.
The willingness to admit that fact will go a long way toward your criticism being considered and valued.
7. Take the personal preference test.
Check your heart for why you are sharing the criticism in the first place. Before you offer the criticism, ask yourself if you are really offering this criticism for the good of everyone or if this is simply a personal preference.
It’s OK either way, but be honest with yourself and others enough to admit it. In fact, if you do this test appropriately, some of the criticism you think you need to offer … you may decide you don’t need to offer after all. The less you are seen as offering criticism that only benefits you, the better the criticism you do offer will be received.
Do you want criticism to be heard? Here are seven suggestions.
