| “The trick to viewing feedback as a gift is to be more worried about having blind spots than hearing about them.” James Clear
As a leader, if you are not getting feedback from those you are leading it might be because you fear hearing something about your blind spots/weaknesses.
Instead of avoiding it, see it as a gift!
Self-Protection
We all know we have blind spots, areas of weaknesses, and constraints. Whether you want to hear feedback or not doesn’t change the fact that they exist and everyone around you sees them. Fight against this natural reaction to self-protect.
One way we receive feedback AND self-protect at the same time is to ask for feedback from someone who is not in the trenches with us.
For example…a head coach who doesn’t solicit feedback from his/her assistant coaches but asks for it from the AD.
Getting feedback from an AD is obviously important, but only asking for feedback from the AD is not enough.
In this case, the head coach is essentially avoiding feedback from those who see him/her at their most raw and vulnerable times (the real you!)
Or to bring it to a more personal level…for me to ask for feedback from a friend who I connect with monthly but avoid feedback from my wife is self-protection (and reveals insecurities).
Growth, Development, and Progress
Avoiding feedback limits our ability to grow, develop, and progress. It keeps us stuck. The best leaders I know seek out honest feedback from those in the trenches with them. They don’t self-protect. They fight against their insecurities. They see it as a gift that will help them become a better version of themselves.
What do you fear most?
– not growing and progressing
– hearing about your blind spots and weaknesses
PS. I don’t know a person alive who doesn’t have some narrative in their mind that sounds like “I am not enough.” So we avoid any feedback that might ‘prove’ that we are not enough. Don’t confuse hearing about a weakness or blind spot and “I’m not enough.” In fact, having the courage to receive feedback communicates the exact opposite of “I am not enough.” It communicates I am enough…I am just an imperfect person in search of getting better! |
