Practicing at work

http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/13/why-everyone-should-practice-at-work/

Laura Vanderkam lists points on why practicing at work is beneficial and suggests some high level areas to practice:

1. Identify skills worth improving:
practicing "anything that happens live that you can't do it over again if it doesn't go the way you want it to. We practice difficult conversations all the time."
2. Create (and name) drills
Athletes do two main kinds of practice: scrimmage and drills. Scrimmages mimic game conditions, and seem like the obvious way to practice. If you're teaching someone how to run a meeting, for instance, wouldn't you have them run a mock meeting?
3. Make practice a daily thing
4. Hire people who want to practice

Constructive Criticism - receiving

http://lifehacker.com/5957850/how-to-take-constructive-criticism-like-a-champ

Nicole Lindsay lists key points to receiving feedback:

1. Stop Your First Reaction
2. Remember the Benefit of Getting Feedback
3. Listen for Understanding
4. Say Thank You
5. Ask Questions to Deconstruct the Feedback
6. Request Time to Follow Up