For the sake of change and innovation, I hope you can.

For the sake of future Canadian generations, I hope you can.

For your piece of mind, I hope you can.

I have written often - Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron [99.44% of the time].

To be clear...

I mean that as an observation. I do not mean that as a moral or philosophical judgment against constructive criticism or a condemnation of criticism in general. It is simply an observation. 

Now...if I was inclined to make a moral or philosophical judgment then:

Criticism is needed and an environment where it can and does happen should be promoted and appreciated. When applied with wisdom and sincerity, criticism should always be received well.

You should have thick skin…criticism only injures you when you allow it to. Even offensively-applied criticism does not have to injure you. It is your choice. If you have thick skin and a thin skull then you know this to be true.

For other people, criticism can be offensive. That's their shortfall...you do not have to be offended by criticism. You can choose to not be offended. You have thick skin...or you can make some character adjustments so you have thick skin. Thick skin provides you the ability to make that sort of choice.

Indeed, criticism cannot be done in a willy-nilly, free-for-all way. Nobody should deliver criticism that way. You are on very thin ice when you choose the targets of your criticism poorly...for example, when you choose to criticize The Boss. That's just common sense. So, inject wisdom before you prescribe criticism.

And, Criticism needs to be bounded. Criticism is best when it is applied in small doses. Be concise. There are times and places for criticism. Be selective. Emotions should be under control when criticism is delivered. Be respectful.

***

Thick Skin: if you prick me, I do not bleed

Thin Skull: if you prick me, I think before I do

***

Here's an idea...call it a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull suggestion...

The next time you feel inclined to criticize someone take the time to write it out on a piece of paper. Then get another piece of paper and write out a criticism of yourself. Compare the two. Make sure they are about equally-important items and are of equivalent length, level of detail, wording/style and tone.

Then make a choice: 

1. present both of them to the person you wish to criticize or
2. tear them both up and move on to some other activity.

Thought Tweet #734 I'm annoyed by that cliché, 'skin in the game'. I want to hear about skull in the game.

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Let's forget about putting money in & getting that pound of flesh and set our sights a bit higher...that is, let's concentrate on kilograms of neurons packaged in open-minded skulls. It is time we started to recognize the attributes delivered in the form of thick skin and thin skulls.

Thought Tweet #714 The people you know have enough challenges and fears on their own plates to make your problems pale by comparison.

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

Also, your achievements do little to alleviate others’ fears, or address their challenges, or attack their opportunities, or resolve their problems. You will have excelled if your achievements alleviate some of your own fears, let alone touch at removing the fears of others.

You may obtain value by considering that, from time to time.