Dear Prudence,
Two months ago, I started a new position at a small company. This position was a reach for me in terms of experience, and I’m still getting familiar with what’s expected of me and what I need to do day to day. I recently had my first performance review. While there were many positives, there were also several things that I needed to improve, namely being more of a self-starter and “owning” my area of expertise. My superior was nothing but supportive and direct, but I couldn’t help but feel a little upset and embarrassed that I wasn’t doing as good a job as I thought I was. In the moment, I handled the feedback appropriately (no tears, thank God), but I feel awkward and embarrassed at work now. I don’t want to do any more damage, so do you have any tips on getting over constructive criticism and not feeling ashamed?
—Dealing With Criticism at Work