SEEK FEEDBACK ON YOUR IMPACT
Deep down, some leaders believe that being open to others’ feedback is evidence of weakness; that they need to project an image of perfection to the world. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Being closed to feedback is a demonstration of weakness and insecurity. Only secure, strong people can be truly open to others’ feedback.
When you receive uncomfortable feedback, it’s tempting to make excuses; “we’re in a tough industry, it was bad timing, it’s a new team, my boss expects this behaviour, it’s not my fault, you don’t understand.” But if you want to grow and improve as a leader, you need to park your ego and dig for treasure in the feedback.
Feedback is critical to your progress, no matter how senior or experienced you are. Everyone can learn and grow indefinitely. Besides, it’s much more interesting to be a “learn it all” than a “know it all.”
There are countless books, tools, and theories on leadership. Here’s the shortcut; it doesn’t matter what your noble intentions are, whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, or whether your mother loved your brother more than you as a child.
In order to dramatically increase your effectiveness as a leader, you need to know three simple things; How would you like to motivate and encourage those you lead to behave? How do you actually motivate and encourage them to behave? And if there is a gap between the two, which there almost certainly will be, how committed are you to closing it?
Closing the gap between your noble intentions and your impact on those you lead is a pathway to sustainable performance, for you and your team members.
INSPIRATION FROM OTHERS
“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” – Winston Churchill
“The illiterate of the C21st will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler
QUESTIONS TO REFLECT ON
- How often do you seek feedback from those you lead on how you can improve?
- How aligned is your impact as a leader with your noble intentions?
- What shifts could you make to better align your impact with your intentions?
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