December's Meeting Topic: Constructive Criticism
Constructive Criticism can be defined as criticism or advice that is useful and intended to help or improve something, often with an offer of possible solutions. Constructive criticism is also know as feedback.
Ephesians 4:11-16 speaks on the perfecting and edifying of the saints and instructs us to speak the truth in love. From this passage of scripture, we see how we all have an important role in the body of Christ and how we should always encourage, edify, support and build one another up. In the bible, constructive criticism as we know it is speaking the truth in love.
Goals of Constructive Criticism
- to improve, build up and make better
- to encourage
- to communicate correctly
- to be truthful
- learn how to say things out of love
It is not Constructive Criticism when ...
- you do not offer a possible solution
- when you do not have all the facts
- your motive is to hurt and tare down
- you are just fault finding
Activity
To help understand constructive criticism more, the game 'Start, Stop and Continue' was played. The 'start, stop and continue' game is when a group of people take turns telling everyone in that particular group something they want the other person to start doing, stop doing and continue doing. Depending on how large the group, this game can take an extremely long long long time!So one person at a time takes time to tell each person the following:
- Start - something you want them to start doing
- Stop - something you want them to stop doing
- Continue - something you want them to improve
From playing this game we learned the following:
- If you cannot take the medicine then do not give it. In other words - do not dish out what you cannot take.
- Treat people how you would want to be treated
- learn how to communicate and build others up
- that this activity is an eye opener and that you will always have room to grow
- constructive criticism can be very beneficial to ones personal development and growth
Ciao,
S.I.S
