Last time I covered choosing the size of your head. I talked about ego and how to not let your managerial head get too big.

Choose to Seek Out and Accept Criticism

Seeking out other people’s opinions on your performance is not a sign of weakness but one of confidence. Obviously, you should not be running around saying “How’d I do? Did I do OK? Am I good?” every 5 minutes but regularly asking for feedback offers several opportunities.

Firstly, it makes you approachable. If you are open to criticism, the team members won’t feel threatened to approach you with their comments and ideas. Nobody is perfect and open, honest communication can only be of benefit.

Secondly, the hardest personnel evaluation you will ever have to perform is of yourself. It is easier to see the strengths and weakness in others than oneself so having other people’s perspectives gives you more information.

As a result, a third benefit is that this new information will, or at least should, force you to use that information in your self-review. Evaluate the criticisms, as well as the praises, for validity. If you find that there is something that is adversely affecting your leadership ability, find ways to change. Do not make it a self-esteem issue, stick to viewing it as a performance issue. Everyone can improve themselves and denying or ignoring that fact will not only limit your leadership abilities but will also, over time, erode them.

Check back in next week when I will talk about the importance of commitment to your company.