You’d think that the name itself should be a clue, but some public servants seem to have a problem with, hmm, serving the public.

Just recently, we’ve had someone attack a doctor for calling them out, even making very spurious claims about asking for free medicine so said doctor could sell it, all because it was pointed out that someone handing out cash in the middle of a life-threatening flood was ridiculously tone deaf.

But see, the best public servants know better than to lash out. After all, instead, they could…

8. Actually take accountability.

Yeah, yeah. When pigs fly, right? But see, taking accountability is important, and a public servant willing to be corrected and shown the error of their ways is refreshing. Looking for an example? Well, think back to the Mayor of one city who, during the pandemic, lashed out at her critics, then decided to instead own up to her mistakes.

You know what happened next? She got re-elected. Because her constituents believed she was capable of improving herself, whereas other politicians would just get angry and defensive instead.

7. Take control of the narrative.

Remember that part where, in 8 Mile, B Rabbit (played by Eminem) predicted how the other rapper was going to diss him? How they would talk about him being white, living in a trailer park with his mom, and so on. In getting ahead of all that, he managed to take the edge off Papa Doc, because if you take away all his ammo, what’s he got, really?

And it’s the same here. In politics, your political opponents won’t get to using your own mistakes against you if you get ahead of them and address them properly. This is just proof that getting angry is the worst way to react in this day and age.

6. Encourage civic engagement.

When people call you out in anger, it’s easy to repay that anger in kind. But when your constituents are more used to calling you out and seeing you act on those things positively, it becomes less a back and forth between adversaries and more of a collaboration between you and your constituents. And who doesn’t love feeling heard, right?

5. Actually find solutions.

Now that you are listening to the voices on the ground, and now that what is usually an adversarial relationship has instead become more collaborative in nature, some real solutions can be found. When it stops being a game of “gotcha,” what you now have is a true-blue partnership between those who govern and those who are governed. And when the solutions come from them, doesn’t that make your job even easier to do?

4. Get the media on your side.

You know what gets clicks and views? Politicians acting up and looking really bad. But you know what also gets clicks and views? The mainstream media practically anointing someone as a champion of the masses. Do you want to be the latest outrage magnet of the week or the hero of the week?

Up to you who you want to be in that picture, really.

3. Demonstrate some maturity.

When someone tells you that you’re doing something wrong, and you respond in a calm, collected manner, and actually correct your behavior in the process, you show you are a cut above the entitled leaders who go around and talk as if they are still living in a monarchy. It’s high time we expected more than that from our elected officials, right? And really, it’s also in their best interests to stop acting like spoiled brats.

2. Rebuild the public trust.

That’s really what it all boils down to, doesn’t it? Politicians have such a bad rap, that it’s news when someone doesn’t act like a typical trapo. We have a long way to go, but any leader who can handle being called out goes a long way towards repairing that torched bridge between them and us.

1. Turn it into an opportunity.

Every critic is an ally that just needs convincing. The reality is, there are plenty of people who demand more from their leaders not out of spite, but in good faith. These are the people you want to win over.

We get it — anyone who criticizes you really hits you hard in the ego. But why hit back when you can use that as a chance to make yourself look even better?

Thoughts? Tell us what you think in the comments!