Be Open to Receiving Feedback:

Denial Stops You In Your Tracks!

Ours is a world of rapid change.

The evolution theory postulates that, only those who are prepared to (and capable of) change will survive. There are people who seem to live their life, year in year out, with relatively little change. Shut off from new ideas, experiences or feedback from others that may cause them to have to change or question their life choices. Even when their life is less than they would like, they resist anything that may put them out of their comfort zone.

You transform neither yourself nor your workplace when you are blind to how your beliefs, emotions, thinking and behavior may be limiting your progress.

The first step in aligning with your potential is Awareness - which is the first part of the Success formula:

Awareness + Self-Responsibility = Aligning with Potential

Seeking Out and Receiving Feedback Is One Way Of Gaining Awareness.

If you adopt and live the principle of Awareness you are being openly welcoming to new information and ideas, new mindsets and thinking patterns. When you are open and receptive you are able to use new information and insights to make choices about how you want to direct or re-direct your life to more powerfully recognise your potential

The downside is that at times Awareness may cause you to experience inner conflict, turmoil and chaos as you begin to meet your 'real' self - how others perceive you and your behaviour. Facing up to your 'real' self is often not easy as it can create pain which may lead to defensiveness and anxiety.

However, if you remain closed off to the responses and feedback of others, you limit the opportunity to have more powerful relationships. The wise person appreciates the pain as they know they are probably about to breakthrough to a new level of performance.

Be Wary Of Getting Defensive When You Are Receiving Feedback

If you get defensive whenever someone provides you with feedback people won't tell you the things you need to hear and as a result you stop learning and growing. When immersed in defensiveness and/or fear people become less inclined to learn and may limit their potential performance through using such defensive tactics as denial, ridicule, blame, laying fault, or projecting on to others their own lack of capability.

Rather than directing your energy to defending yourself you are better served to look at the possibilities that are available for a shift to using more of your powerful potential

Awareness Doesn't Just Come From Feedback From Others

You can use these different strategies for gaining awareness about the areas in which you might like to focus in order to move more toward your potential.

• observe the reactions and responses of people to you;
• use the formal feedback processes available in your workplace;
• read new information;
• attend workshops, seminars, conferences, not just in your area of technical expertise but in areas of personal growth;
• seek out feedback from people you respect and whose honesty you can rely upon;
• observe people who are successful in an area you would like to improve upon;
• review the number of job promotions and/or salary increases (or the lack thereof), over the last several years

At times you may be receiving feedback which is delivered poorly or with poor intent ... meant to punish rather than support on-going growth. Do not let that stop you from utilizing any wisdom it may contain. Simply thank the person for sharing their thoughts and then assume self-responsibility for taking what is relevant to your personal growth.

Feelings of uncertainty and doubt are very normal, once you start on a pathway of really pushing yourself to grow into your potential. If you remain focused on where you are heading and who you are becoming, the chaos will sort itself out. The key is to stay present in the moment and focus on what you can do today to become the person you want to be.

Final note -- the only time you want to change anything about you is when your emotional guidance system is letting you know that you are not being all that you wish. If you are happy and content ... there's nothing to change :)

Best of luck!