Yesterday Barack Obama was asked a very interesting question by a young boy: “Why do people hate you?” This is how the president responded:

Whether or not you are one of the “haters” that this young boy was referring to, there are some career lessons for to take away from President Obama’s response:

1. “You’ve got to take it with a grain of salt. Some of it is just…politics.” Almost everyone has to deal with some sort of office politics. The best way to do so, is by staying level-headed and not letting it effect your work.

2. “You get some of the credit when things go good, and when things are going tough, then…you’re going to get some of the blame- but that’s part of the job.” This does not only apply to the President’s position. When you take on more responsibility at work, you will be responsible for dealing with both the positive and negative outcomes of your efforts. Learning to deal with criticism is essential to making improvements to your work.

3. Being able to think on your feet is a priceless job skill. President Obama took a tough question and was able to answer it honestly without coming off overly defensive. Whether you are on a job interview, or you are in the work place, being able to think under pressure will get you far.