The Tribune

The old saying goes that “two heads are better than one, even if one is a fish head”. While this may create a laugh, there is a huge element of truth in it. So this column is all about how to deal with criticism when you are trying to take your product or service to the next level.

As usual, I practice what I preach, so this is based on personal experience. Criticism invigorates some people and drives them to succeed. Others it cripples, and they spend way too much time worrying about what their critics think of them.

There are two extremes in how to respond to the critics. One is to ignore them entirely, and then concentrate only on the positive. The other is to eliminate what they are criticising you about. Both of these strategies have merit, but the truth lies in ”both and”, not in “either or”.

As readers of my column, you may have tried to execute some of the marketing and business tactics and strategies I advocate. You will undoubtedly not be strangers to criticism. You will notice that it always comes from quarters who are comfortable at the level you are trying to move past.

For example, I have marketed the Judo Federation to a relatively prominent place on the world stage. We have even appeared on the BBC World Wide News. We have had athletes win and compete in many tournaments, and in December we finally got an athlete to enter the World Tour, which is equivalent to being on the PGA Golf Tour.

Every sport needs a superstar, and so I turned to my daughter to fulfill this role. Which she has dominated at every level. But the pattern is always the same; losing first, then learning how to win.

I have always pushed for higher standards for the entire international team. Every time we break through at one level, others follow. Now lest you think this is purely a physical thing, Judo is a sport that requires sponsors. So it had to be sold to sponsors to get money to travel the world. Because of my marketing, Judo is a household word in the Bahamas. Not only that, but the Bahamas has become known internationally as a nation that has a strong judo presence. This has led to international scholarship opportunities for many of the team, who will follow my daughter’s success.

Yet every single step of the way I have been invited to carry my you-know-what, along with my family. Because every step of the way, we had to lose to learn how to win. And as soon as you lose, the naysayers jump in. We stumped the critics when we began to win, only to find another group waiting for us. Another saying is “winning solves everything”. I will add that winning gets rid of one level of critics, only to see them replaced by another batch, who are comfortable at the current level.

And so, my friends, I say to you: Listen to your critics, make adjustments where they have valid points, but keep focused on what your vision for your marketing is. The critics, like the poor in spirit, will always be with us.

• NB: D’Arcy Rahming holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and has helped small and large clients, both in the Bahamas and internationally. Go to DArcyRahming.com and get his free video training series on How to Get a Paycheck From International Clients While Living in the Bahamas.