Criticism hits leaders differently because it rarely lands as “just feedback.” When you’re a CEO or senior executive, it can feel like judgment on competence, legitimacy, or worth—especially when it arrives publicly, or when the stakes are high and everyone is watching your response. The danger isn’t the criticism itself. The danger is the residue it leaves behind: tension in the body, mental replay, subtle irritability, sleep disruption, and a quiet hardening that slowly cha
