How you respond to criticism should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Not every piece of critique or challenge requires a response. Take your time and do not respond immediately, in order to make sure you do not respond when you may feel upset or angry. You may also want to ask for advice from a trusted friend or colleague.
Ask yourself the following questions to first decide if a response is necessary:
- does the criticism come from a key stakeholder or influencer in my project?
- is there a request for a response?
When responding might not be necessary
- If the criticism comes from someone who is not a stakeholder of your project and is not likely to affect your advocacy objectives and outcomes of your project, there might not be a need to respond.
- When the comment is from someone who is not related to your project and posts on their personal social media pages, there is probably no need to respond (see more below on if/how to deal with criticism on social media).
When a response might be needed
- A stakeholder of the project criticises the work or says something negative about SA/PAC, either publicly or privately.
Decide whether to respond publicly or privately
- If you are being challenged privately, it is most likely best to keep your response private as well. You may choose to send an email reply or ask to meet the person/group if appropriate.
- If the criticism was shared publicly, for example on social media or in the media, consider carefully if a public response is necessary. If you deem it so, you might respond by issuing a statement or responding to the social media post (see if/how to deal with criticism on social media, above and below).