I am an AmeriCorps VISTA currently in my second term at the Fort Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes’ Office of Environmental Protection in northeast Montana. My project is to assist in the creation of a Climate Change Adaptation/Resilience Plan for the Tribes. 

Being in my second year, there are a couple of things I’ve learned that I hope might help other prospective corps members. The two I’m focusing on are related to handling criticism, as I recently had to do so myself. 

I speak frequently with the Tribal Executive Board, (TEB, the Council) and their committees about various aspects of my project. This past month, when discussing opportunities, they mentioned that they were hesitant to commit without a confirmed person to carry out the programs. They know I’m leaving, and while my ideas are good, I’ve not been doing enough to ensure additional support. If no one is here to follow through after my term, it’s worthless to them. Here’s where the advice comes in. 

First, don’t take the criticism as a reflection of you as a person. This is a skill I know many of my friends and coworkers have struggled with. Having your mistakes pointed out to you isn’t a fun experience, but you have to know where problems are if you want to improve. Instead of a personal attack, think of it like a coach correcting an athlete’s technique. The goal is enhancing your performance and increasing the chances of success, not a commentary on your worth.  

You can’t know everything, so treat critiques as a form of advice, a learning tool. As an AmeriCorps or VISTA member, there is a good chance you are new to the field and still finding your feet. Mistakes and learning curves are expected – they’re practically part of the contract. Your host site gets needed assistance they couldn’t find elsewhere, with the understanding that they have to support you as you gain experience. If they aren’t on the same page, talk about it. 

In my case, I took their comments as a chance to refocus and reframe. Due to various factors, I have been acting as a pseudo department unto myself. It has been necessary and helpful as the project came into focus. Yet that same independence has made the initiatives vulnerable to failure without a dedicated staff member to support them. Intellectually I was aware of the need to prepare the position for my departure, but I hadn’t been acting on it. When the TEB pointed out my oversight, I began the process of getting the job position set up, and looking into how I can get more departments involved to have a wider base of support for these programs.  

Second, how you externally respond to criticism is important for your working relationships. This is easier if you are more comfortable with critique, but even if you’re not, Fake It ‘Till You Make It. Combative and defensive responses can put off your coworkers from wanting to work with you. Additionally, they might not want to trust you with advanced projects if they think you’re not open to learning as needed for the position. On the other hand, if you obviously take feedback as a personal failure it could make others less likely to offer it for fear of upsetting you. Similarly, some people might be uncomfortable if they feel you are making your emotional needs their responsibility via reassurance or validation. 

Instead, engage with the feedback. If you disagree or are confused, expand on that and ask questions. It lets others know you are paying attention to them and thinking about their perspective, even if you don’t end up acting on the topic. The key is to approach from a place of humility, not arrogance. 

My interactions with the Council are an example of this strategy (and why it was on my mind for this blog). When I was given my ‘scolding’, as I jokingly call it, I took ownership of my actions. As discussed above, I acknowledged their point, asked for clarification on some of the bureaucratic requirements they brought up, and thanked them for telling me. I truly believe that it is to my benefit to be told where I am making mistakes. It lowers the chances of developing large project problems down the road, and can help prevent this mistake again in the future. Moreover, the Tribes deserve the best effort I can give, so I need to listen and accommodate their needs. 

While I believe in this approach on principle, I am not ignorant to the fact that it also works to my advantage. The facts are this: I am a young, white college graduate from out of state working on a Native American Reservation. Over the decades, there have been dozens of people just like me; here to help on a temporary basis. Yet oftentimes those people either didn’t have the best interests of the community in mind, or didn’t take the time to understand the situation well enough to create effective solutions. This means that despite my good relationship with the TEB, they are justifiably wary. Therefore, I make sure to broadcast the fact that I will listen to their concerns and don’t believe that a higher education means ‘I know better’. In return, they are more likely to engage with me, and give me support when I ask. It makes my job a lot easier when I’m not fighting suspicion or getting the runaround. 

 In short, feedback is important not only for personal growth, but in providing opportunities to develop productive working relationships.

Helpful Little Life Mottos I Use

• Fake it ‘till you make it
• You can laugh or you can cry, and crying makes your eyes red
• Dignity is overrated in the face of fun
• Leave it better than you found it
• The best day of your life could be someone else’s worst day, so be kind
• Own your mistakes
• Cutting people out based on different beliefs is counterproductive
• In the absence of harm, live and let live