Interviewers ask this question to understand your response to constructive feedback. They want to see if you get defensive or upset or are quick to assign blame. They are usually less interested in the type of criticism you received and more interested in how you handled it. They're also trying to assess how well you handle challenging situations and determine whether you can accept and apply constructive criticism. By evaluating your ability to accept criticism in a previous role, they can learn more about you as an employee and how you would perform in their organization.

Constructive criticism is an important part of professional growth, and this is a good chance to show your potential employer that you are open to improvement, and striving to do better. Explain that you think that criticism is an important agent of change, and you are open to receiving feedback from your peers, supervisors, and subordinates in order to further your growth and development.