It takes discipline for anyone to accept criticisms, even when the criticisms are constructive and objective. Very few people, if at all, enjoy to hear from people who don’t share their views on any matter. An average human being would prefer to hear himself through others who share his own views.
As close as your nose is to your eyes, you will need the help of another person to see a spot on your nose except you use the mirror. A possible interpretation here is to say that the closest person to you may not be the person you need most if you care to know how well you are doing.
It is the most natural thing for one to surround himself with people whom he loves and who love him in return. How would someone enjoy hearing from those who don’t like him? But he honestly needs to. It sounds like a contradiction but that is what it is.
Most of your loved ones would dress the truth in sweet words and rather tell you what makes you happy to keep the fire of friendship burning. There are times you need more than that.
Someone said that truth doesn’t have to be bitter and I totally agree but if you care to know undiluted truth, you need more than your fans. The truth you need to navigate stormy waters may not come from the most familiar source.
If you can, please listen more to the opposing side, not because you don’t have a mind of your own but because your opponent is unlikely to pamper your ego and you are likely to learn more than you already know.
What is common is for leaders to appraise their followers but a leader who will make a difference needs honest feedback from his followers.
It is not usually an interesting experience to know your dossier through someone of lesser status but a leader who will change the course of action needs more than praise singers. In corporate setting, it is called 360 degrees appraisal.
You may not agree with this but we don’t need to argue it. Just think about it at your quiet time. Do you know that sometimes you do some things that you condemn others for? This is common when the relationship bestows on you superior status, be it by age, educational, economic or social standards. I am appraising myself as I write.
You may think that no one is watching you because you are not answerable to those who look up to you but that line of thought is not correct. This is the more reason you have to be conscious of what you say and how you react to issues, particularly when things go wrong, because what goes around comes around.
©️Akin Oluwadare Jnr
28 February 2022
