June 10, 2013 - Are you in feedback paralysis? Are you the type of person that must get a lot of other people's opinions before you proceed with a particular initiative, action or idea? If you receive any type of negative feedback, does this cause you to question your motives or actions, even if you have received substantially more positive feedback? Do you find that your confidence is reliant on others' opinions being in your favor in order for you to proceed? Getting feedback is valuable and a good practice, as long as it doesn't begin to cripple you from actually taking any action. Too often, worthwhile initiatives or high-potential ideas never get off the ground because of opinions that are based on limited understanding, assumptions and unrelated biases.
Take an MM&I Moment to understand why getting feedback is important to you. Is it for you to gain favor or acceptance by a particular person or group of people? Or is it to gain valuable insight and valid perspective in order to make more informed decisions about what you are trying to do? Is it to help you have more confidence to proceed because you have your own doubts about your abilities? Or is it to understand what is needed for you to proceed effectively and proactively beyond your abilities? No one should operate in a silo when trying to move forward and achieve goals and objectives. However, if you find yourself stuck because you are feeling overwhelmed by the opinions of others, then chances are you are not gaining the right feedback for the right reasons, causing more confusion than clarity.
Synergized Quote of the Week
"There is a whole universe of possibilities that opinions fail to take into account." - Ralph Marston
Yours in synergistic thinking,
Sherre'