Today’s blog is short on words, long on potential outcomes. These questions parallel my recent, 3-part, Vlog, Truth Tellers:
Let’s start with two questions:
- Who in your personal life provides you brutally honest feedback?
- Who in your professional life provides you brutally honest feedback?
Moving on:
- What did you learn from these “Robin Hoods of Honesty” … these people who had the courage to sling arrows of truth your way?
- How did you benefit from—and act upon—the honesty you received?
Lastly, even though the truth can be painful, an absence of truth guarantees failure. So:
- How do you plan on encouraging your existing “Robin Hoods of Honesty” to continue providing you more tough love feedback?
- What steps are you taking to develop a more diverse population of those “Robin Hoods of Honesty” who can provide you valuable perspective? For example:
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- Different age groups,
- Different cultural groups,
- Different linguistic groups,
- Differing levels of experience,
- Even feedback from … your most vocal adversary?
My mentor, and Disney University founder Van France, was the definition of a “Robin Hood of Honesty,” and he slung truth arrows in every direction … even at himself. During his Disney career, Van helped every Disney employee, (including Walt Disney) improve via his tough-love truth telling approach.
In closing:
- Cowardly leaders surround themselves with robotic “yes people.”
- Confident, emotionally intelligent leaders surround themselves with “Robin Hoods of Honesty.”
Which are you?