Transcript

View this clip

John
Hi, this programme is about criticism.

Pam
Well, you’ve really landed us in it this time, haven’t you Martin.

Martin
Sorry, what can I say?

John
About what you should and shouldn’t do and say when someone else deliberately or inadvertently makes a mistake or does something wrong.

Martin
There’s no buts Karen. If there’s one thing I can’t stand it’s slovenly, thoughtless, inconsiderate, idle inefficiency. I think that covered everything. Understood?

John
Now the first and most obvious thing to be said about criticism is that most of us dislike being on the receiving end of it. Not nice.

Martin
You could say that. The words “Incompetence and Gross” have appeared in the very first sentence.

John
Almost everything to do with criticism is potentially sensitive.

Martin
Followed by “seriously damaging to our reputation”.

John
When we do get round to it, we’re so worried about getting it wrong that we almost inevitably end up doing it badly.

Martin
Don’t argue with me. I’m telling you.

Karen
If you’d just listen for a moment –

Martin
I’m telling you. The technical report should have been on the file and it wasn’t and that’s your job.

Karen
But listen. I spoke to Steve Birkenshaw –

Martin
There’s nothing to listen to. The report should have been there and it wasn’t. You see how it works. The case is closed, Verdict: guilty. You may now go.

Karen
But just let me –

Martin
There’s the door, use it.

John
Fortunately, you don’t have to work out the approach for yourself. The wheel has already been invented. There is a technique, there are skills. And if you want to know what they are...