Candid Relationships

We hit a point in our lives when we are disciplined enough and competent enough that if we can identify a need in our personal or professional development we can remedy the problem. At this point we need help identifying the problem. To go to the next level we need someone outside of ourselves to name truths about us.

We need someone who cares enough about us to engage emotionally and risk telling us things that are hard to hear but may set us free. We need to receive this feedback as an act of generosity.

This requires us to let them far enough into our lives to see the parts of how we operate that we don’t like others to see.

Our posture must invite feedback from others. We must ask ourselves; What am I communicating or how am I operating that might limit candor in feedback?

It is your responsibility to lead your life in a way that invites it.

We all claim to be learners. We all claim to want more feedback from our supervisors and friends but when we receive it we reject it or justify the behavior that has been revealed to us. When someone gives candid feedback it means they care and it should be received as a gift. (Seth Godin Blog on Feedback)

There may be value in 360 degree evaluations or formal reviews with a supervisor but these pale in comparison to a relationship with a person (people) that continually dialogue and give us feedback in real time.