President Nixon: Alone in the White House 13

On page 422 of President Nixon: Alone in the White House, Richard Reeves comments on Richard Nixon's approach to criticism:

"The President's defensiveness was a personal thing, a measure of his extraordinary introversion.  In fact, Richard Nixon was a man closed to critics but open to criticism----as long as it was private and only on paper."

I can somewhat identify with this.  I'd definitely prefer to be criticized in private rather than in front of people.  On whether I prefer to be criticized on paper or in person, it depends on the criticism, I suppose.  I admit that I am sensitive to criticism, but there are some forms of criticism that are less painful to me than others.  I realize, after all, that I am not perfect, and that there are many things that I can do better.  Constructive, informed criticism that is not mocking of me or extremely insulting is what I prefer when it comes to criticism.