Dealing with critiques

It seems as though two or three times each year I get a new client who will call, confidence shattered, because someone critiqued their work and said they were worthless, had no business in the business, and should find another line of work. Then the tape will arrive, and, it never fails, the person has a tremendous amount of talent.

Why does this happen? Well, because most of you don't have the little filter in your head that will throw away the garbage and keep the honest constructive criticism. If I tell you nine things you're doing right and one you're doing wrong, you're going to dwell on the negative. Along the same lines, if six people in the television industry tell you that you're doing a good job and some college professor who's never worked a day in the business says you're hopeless, the negative comments are going to eat away at your confidence.

So let me give you a few rules when you're looking for a critique. (And by the way, critiques from family members don't count. They're all like my dad, thinking you're wonderful and wondering why the network doesn't dump its anchor to hire you.)

-Critiques must be objective. If the person giving you feedback likes you too much to say anything negative or dislikes you too much to say anything nice (like a News Director) the critique isn't much help.

-Tough love is the best kind. A good critique will highlight the things you are doing right, while offering suggestions on things that need improvement. Sometimes brutal honesty hurts, but if it is offered with advice on how to fix a problem, you can actually learn something.

-A critique should always have something positive on which to build. Some clients I've had sound like they've gone through a fifteen round fight after being put through the wringer by a critique. If you get a critique like this, throw it away. (If you give a critique like this, shame on you.)

-Some criticism can be based on jealousy. News Director are legendary for their confidence draining tactics, working under the premise that talented people need to "be kept down." Some managers never have a good word for anyone. And if your ND has never worked in a decent market or been a reporter, consider the source.

-Getting critiques from people outside your market is a good idea. If you happen to make a contact with someone in a big market who is kind enough to offer advice, send a tape every once in awhile and listen to the suggestions. People in big markets know what it takes to get there.

-While it is impossible to be an objective when it comes to your own work, you can be objective regarding a critique. Try to look outside yourself when someone points out a problem. In other words, if someone tells you that your delivery is too slow, play your own tape then watch a big market or network newscast and honestly compare things.

-Be open minded and be patient. Sometimes it takes awhile for the light bulb to go on. If someone suggests something, don't just try it once and give up if it doesn't work. Have faith in your own talent, because the person making the suggestion probably has faith in you.