How To Effectively Deliver Criticism

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No one wants to be the bearer of bad news, but when it comes to managing people at work, someone's got to do it. In this course, you'll learn how to give criticism effectively so that it's heard, understood, and acted upon. Whether you're a manager, or someone who wants to make their workplace the best it can be, this short course will support you to share when things have gone wrong and ensure they are made right. This training course has been created in collaboration with our subject matter expert, Eleanor Snare, emotional literacy specialist and life coach.
Course Level: Introductory
Duration: 20 Minutes
Accreditation: Virtual College Certified
Certificate: Self-Printed Certificate
Description
This short course has been designed to help you learn how to give criticism effectively so that it is heard, understood and acted upon.
What is covered in this How to Effectively Deliver Criticism course?
Our online How To Effectively Deliver Criticism training course is broken down into the following sections and can be completed at your own pace. The course includes:
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Intentions Behind Criticism
- Understand the importance of your intentions when giving feedback.
- Learn the difference between constructive and destructive criticism.
- Study a case on containing criticism.
- Complete a quiz to reinforce your learning.
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Giving the Criticism
- Learn how to deliver criticism effectively to avoid negative reactions.
- Understand the impact of tone of voice before using the right language.
- Discover the 'Three 'I's' method for more effective feedback.
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Supporting Actionable Change
- Turn criticism into constructive feedback that encourages change.
- Learn how to communicate what needs to change with examples.
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Extension Task
- Apply your learning by writing criticism for different scenarios.
- Practice constructing and delivering effective criticism.
Why take this How To Effectively Deliver Criticism course?
This short course has been designed to help you deliver criticism in the most effective way possible. In it, you'll learn the difference between destructive and constructive criticism, why positive intentions are key to effective criticism and why tone of voice and choice of words matter when giving criticism. These power skills are extremely beneficial in the workplace and can help further your personal and professional development.
How To Effectively Deliver Criticism: Course Duration
This short power skill course should take 8-12 minutes to complete, but e-learning is self-paced, so it depends entirely on your individual learning speed and how quickly you absorb the study material.
Certification
After completing this How To Effectively Deliver Criticism course, you will be able to download and print a Virtual College certificate for your records.
Entry requirements
There are no specific entry requirements for this How To Effectively Deliver Criticism course.
Further online training courses
We have over 300 accredited online courses and a wide selection of personal and professional development courses, including Dealing with Difficult Situations, How to Improve Problem-Solving Skills and Learning to Say No - The Right Way.
View our full catalogue of online courses here.
What you'll learn
- Distinguish between destructive and constructive criticism.
- Recognise the importance of positive intentions in criticism.
- Understand the impact of tone and words when giving feedback.
- Use the ‘Three ‘I’s’ method to share constructive criticism.
Suitable for
- Senior or middle management
- New or aspiring managers
- Experienced managers
- Project Managers
Certification

Self-Printed Certificate Option
Upon completion of the course, a digital certificate will be available to download instantly.
Recent Reviews
12th December 2025
Timely
Timely, with minimal delay in being able to access the course at a time that suited me. The modules flowed into each other smoothly, and I could soon see the practical benefit of the knowledge gained.
11th December 2025
Easy to study
The course was easy to follow. Easy to register Easy to study
11th December 2025
Easy to access
Easy to access, all relevant information available
8th December 2025
Booking was easy the website had all…
Booking was easy the website had all the information I needed so once I booked the package I then received notification to allocate the spaces, which again was really simple to do, our staff will be doing this training on the January training day, but if they wanted to do it before they now could so for staff who work part time it's perfect.
8th December 2025
Easily accessible.
Easily accessible.
7th December 2025
Virtual College courses often come with accredited certificates, which can help with career progression or meeting workplace requirements.
. My experience was greatly enhanced by being able to find exactly what I needed. Virtual College is providing us with valuable opportunities to continue our professional development.
6th December 2025
Easy instructions
Easy instructions
6th December 2025
Virtual college as made me more…
Virtual college as made me more confident
4th December 2025
Don't rush
Ease of layout, also can revert back should you be unsure of content of lesson and there is the ability to make notes on the system although I still use paper and pen.88
3rd December 2025
My overall experience was great.
My experience was great due to the flow and ease of the course. It was interactive and I found it to be enjoyable.
Excellent
4.8 out of 5
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