A well-known politician, riding in a train, held up a five-dollar bill and said, “I’m going to throw this five-dollar bill out the window and make somebody happy.” One of his ardent admirers suggested, “But, sir, why don’t you throw five one-dollar bills out the window and make five people happy?” A member of the opposition, seated in a corner, growled, “Why don’t you jump out and make everybody happy?”

The leader of a small country was bitterly disappointed that nobody used the newly issued postage stamps bearing his portrait. He questioned his postmaster, who explained the stamps were not sticking. Seizing a stamp, the dictator licked it and stuck it onto an envelope. “Look!” he shouted. “It sticks perfectly!” The postmaster faltered for a moment, and then explained, “Well, sir, the truth is that the people have been spitting on the wrong side.”

The truth is, whoever leads the pack gets arrows in the back. Critics are everywhere, even in church. They sit so far back in the church, by the time they hear anything, it’s already a rumor. They weren’t born again; they were born against. At the beginning of every meeting you feel like calling on them for a word of criticism just to get it over with. Their favorite TV character is Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street. Their faces look like Lamentations. They always have that “I’m in pain” look. Maybe it’s the side effects of having an artificial heart.

I always try to be positive with my critics. I saw one last week and I told him, “If I had two more just like you, I’d be a happy man.” He didn’t know what to say. He said, “Charles, what are you talking about? I’m always criticizing you. Why would you be happy if you had two more like me?” I said, “Because now I have 20 like you. If I had only three, I would be a happy man!”

Someone has said that any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most fools do. For every step forward, there is an equal and opposite criticism.

Many times as leaders, we feel as if our colors ought to be black and blue. The fact is, all leaders are criticized. Lincoln and Washington, two of our greatest presidents, were constantly criticized. Churchill once received a standing ovation, and a lady commented how flattering it must be to receive that kind of applause. “Yes,” he said, “but I also know that if it were my hanging, the crowd would be twice the size.”

Every great endeavor has its critics. When Robert Fulton first showed off his new invention, the steamboat, skeptics were crowded on the bank yelling, “It’ll never start! It’ll never start!” It did. It started with a lot of clanking and groaning. As the steamboat made its way down the river, the skeptics were quiet for one minute. Then they started shouting, “It’ll never stop! It’ll never stop!”

How do you respond to criticism? One week I received a lot of criticism, and a staff member’s wife said to me, “When I hear criticism, I get a knot in my stomach.” I’m just the opposite. When I hear criticism, I want to give my critics a knot on their heads. Do you hit them, or do you pray that they will fry in their own grease? What about setting clever traps for them, like the guy who was upset because his critic was always poking him in the chest? He decided to wire dynamite to his chest so that the next time his critic poked him, he would go up in smoke. That’s not a good idea. Take the rocks thrown at you and build something. Don’t be paranoid. Everybody’s not out to get you. There is no coat that will insulate you from criticism. Remember that critics who try to whittle you down are only trying to reduce you to their size.

When dealing with critics, learn some lessons from the building of the Panama Canal. The builder of the Panama Canal was besieged with criticism. When asked how he was going to handle the critics, he said, “With the canal.” Don’t get sidetracked if you are on the right track. Stay positive. One football coach says that when you are run out of town, go to the head of the line and look as though you are leading a parade.

So, remember: A critic a day probably means you’re heading the right way, and arrows in the back mean you are still in front of the pack.