Although I like to find ways to improve, I often find myself getting defensive (behind the scenes) when someone criticizes me.
And, I had my first experience with this related to "Internship Mastery" from a professional review that I (initially) didn't agree with.
It's funny. I paid a couple of professional review companies to give me raw, honest feedback about my book. I did this because I wanted to find ways to improve future editions.
Yet, when I received one of the two reviews, and it wasn't a "glowing 5-star review," it hurt a little.
My initial reaction was to look for every reason that the review was wrong. But my wife was quick to point out that I was doing this.
Note: it's always helpful to have someone close to you who is willing to tell you the truth—even if the truth hurts.
Owning My Criticisms
After requesting a few factual changes to the review, I now own my criticisms.
You see, the criticisms about my book are legit.
There are many topics in "Internship Mastery" that have been discussed before in other books. And maybe my upbeat tone in the book does sound forced...
These are both things I can improve in future editions.
As for the comment about "magical thinking," I completely understand that not all people will believe the same as I do. With this said, I stand behind my comments in the Chapter 13 section titled "UNDERSTANDING THE POWER OF YOUR MIND." I believe the mind is a powerful thing that we can all harness to our advantage.
Ultimately, I had the option to kill the 3-star review and not have it posted. I could have just taken the information in the review and used it to make improvements, and then I could have hidden it from the world.
Instead, I approved it.
And this wasn't easy for me to do.
You can take a look at the review I'm referencing (created by Carol Booton with Foreword Reviews) at the link below...
https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/internship-mastery/
The Bottom Line
Do you struggle with criticism (aka constructive feedback) like I do sometimes?
If so, try to avoid being defensive and look for ways to grow from the feedback.
Trust me... I know it's hard to do this, but give it a shot.
RYAN GLICK
Ryan is the Co-Founder and CEO of Groov, Inc, a property technology software company based out of Des Moines, Iowa. Ryan has been heavily involved in the world of Information Technology and entrepreneurship since the early 2000s. From small business consulting to Fortune 500 IT leadership, Ryan has a wide array of tech industry knowledge. Ryan has his BBA and MBA from the University of Iowa. Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn or Instagram.