What thoughts go through your head when you hear particularly negative feedback from an employee or customer? Think of the plethora of emotions and feelings that sweep over you in those moments.
Is it safe to say your inner monologue sounds a little something like the man and woman in this video below? It’s 41 minutes but you can get the gist in the first 5 minutes.
Our CTO sent this to me earlier today and I was tense just watching it. ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd would refer to this as a dumpster fire. Needless to say this is a disaster. I’ve been mulling this over all day and have a few thoughts.
1. Feedback Is Good: Repeat that to yourself a hundred times or however long it takes to believe it. All feedback will serve to make you stronger. Yes some may be shrouded in a personal attack but when you strip that away, perhaps there’s a nugget of truth in there that can make you stronger.
2. Grownups Use Emotional Intelligence: This video is a good example of a complete lack of emotional intelligence. Simply put, it’s the ability to keep the crazy on the inside. That’s not the official definition but it works here. When you receive negative feedback, practice taking a deep breath, closing your email and processing before responding.
3. Trust Experts: In this video, Gordon Ramsay is clearly the expert. He has a track record of success in running restaurants. When you are in the presence of an expert or a trusted confidant, let your guard down and prepare yourself to learn and grow. If you can’t trust anyone but yourself, that really doesn’t leave you with much hope for improvement and success.
Back to the video, I still can’t believe what I watched. What are your thoughts? Is there anything you would add to my list?
