Providing the exact right balance of criticism

Research from the University of Michigan shows that the right dose of constructive criticism is actually one of the biggest factors in predicting a high-performing team. And research from John Gottman, Ph.D., a top relationship researcher, also found there’s a sweet spot for how much criticism helps keep relationships alive.

Both teams of researchers arrived at a similar conclusion: In order to keep a relationship or work team performing well, five or six positive interactions were needed for every one criticism or negative interaction.

• “How to Use Criticism to Your Advantage”
• “The Ideal Praise-to-Criticism Ratio”
• “The Role of Positivity and Connectivity in the Performance of Business Teams, A Nonlinear Dynamics Model”