I hate to be criticized at work. Any ideas on how to cope with it?

I assume you mean by a manager or your boss and not a co-worker. Some of your problem might be historical conditioning. How have you been challenged in the past? Have you been able to adapt to different feedback styles? Think back to the coaches you have had. Were you able to learn better from one particular coach more than any other?

The point is, just like there are different coaching styles, there are different management styles. Generally speaking, and this is a real generalization here, the earlier you are in your career, the less likely it will be that you have a manager who is nice and cuddly. Expect to be challenged; that is part of growth and of pushing yourself to the next level. On Coach Bobby Knight’s TV show, he said that the teachers he had in his life who made the most impact were the ones who were intolerant of mistakes. So if you have a boss who is criticizing you, why not make the assumption of goodwill and assume he or she is only trying to make you better at your job.

As far as coping with it, if you think more positively about it, you can handle it better. And do not make the mistake that a lot of younger people make, thinking that older bosses are less observant. They can most certainly pick up on your body language. If you are handling the conversation poorly, and feel unfairly persecuted or just cannot handle criticism well, your boss is getting that message too, loud and clear. Is that the message you want to communicate?