Feedback

As a fairly strong-willed, opinionated person, assuming a position of leadership in my company has been quite rewarding. I have autonomy, influence, and ultimate accountability to steer fate (both personal and organizational). With position comes price. For me the price is in the form of feedback. One of my most prized guiding principles is self-awareness. I tell anyone who will listen that I cherish feedback, especially constructive. There is a natural reluctance for teams to be critical of colleagues who have formal authority over them. This has been a source of frustration for me.

The other day in a meeting, I was emphatically expressing a point of view on a relatively controversial topic. A colleague interrupted me mid-sentence and said "Paul, we don't disagree with you." It never occurred to me that I was coming across as argumentative. I simply felt very passionate about the issue and was trying to convey this. I reflected on this simple comment and realized that I frequently come across as disagreeable when I really mean to express excitement. This feedback was pointed and delivered unintentionally and indirectly. It occurred to me -- my thirst for feedback is easily quenched by simply paying better attention. It's all over the place. I just need to look for it.