What if the greatest obstacle to your growth as a leader isn’t your strategy, resources, or team, but your resistance to the feedback you don’t want to hear?
We all appreciate a pat on the back. Positive feedback feels good—it validates our decisions and reinforces our confidence. But let’s be honest: when was the last time a compliment truly challenged you to grow? Growth doesn’t come from applause. It comes from critique. It’s the feedback that stings—the honest, unvarnished truths—that hold the potential to elevate your leadership.
Yet, many leaders shy away from criticism, dismiss hard truths, or surround themselves with agreeable voices. When leaders only seek praise, they inadvertently send a damaging message: “Don’t tell me the truth; tell me what I want to hear.”
The Fear Behind Feedback
Why is it so difficult to embrace constructive feedback? The resistance often stems from fear:
- Fear of being wrong. What if the critique is valid and reveals flaws in your leadership?
- Fear of looking weak. Could admitting mistakes tarnish your credibility?
- Fear of uncertainty. What if digging deeper uncovers more issues than you expected?
These fears are real, but they are also what distinguish mediocre leaders from exceptional ones.
Rewiring Your Approach to Feedback
To grow as a leader, you must reframe your perspective on feedback. Instead of viewing it as a threat, embrace it as an opportunity. Here’s how:
- Shift Your Mindset
When feedback stings, resist the urge to react defensively. Instead, pause and ask yourself:
What can I learn from this?
What are they seeing that I’m missing?
- Invite Brutal Honesty
Don’t wait for feedback to come to you—seek it out. Ask probing questions like:
- If you were in my position, what would you do differently?”
- “What am I not seeing that’s holding us back?”
- “What’s one thing I could do today to make your work easier?
- Act on Feedback
Here’s where most leaders fail: they listen but don’t act. When someone highlights an issue, take visible steps to address it.
- Model Vulnerability
Own your mistakes. Say, “I didn’t handle this right, but here’s how I’m correcting it.” Vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it’s a powerful way to connect with your team and model resilience.
The Hard Truth You Need to Hear
Great leaders aren’t those who never fail—they’re those who embrace failure as a learning opportunity. The feedback you fear isn’t your enemy; it’s your greatest ally.
Stop avoiding the uncomfortable. Lean into it, learn from it, and act on it.