Becoming a Leader (Part 11)

December 27, 2012

5 Step Personal Improvement Process

Becoming a Leader:  Challenge #10–Get 360° Feedback

We have touched on using criticism to the best of your ability and improving your reaction to criticism. Sometimes it’s important to seek out criticism–and not just from the same old sources. If you’re serious about improving your self-awareness and Emotional Intelligence, get a 360.

360° feedback allows you to see the gap between where you think you are and where others see you showing up on a daily basis. Some 360s involve just your immediate work circle–your boss, peers, team members. Others include customers and work-related contacts outside your organization. The most complete 360s, however, reach even further. They seek input from people on nonprofit boards where you serve, people in an affinity group, friends, your spouse.

Before you can close the gap between where you think you are and where others see you show up, you need to know where the gap is. That’s what 360s are for.

Becoming a Leader:  Talent #10–Watch for Patterns and Trends

Wayne Gretzky is unarguably the greatest hockey player to ever play the game. At retirement he had 2,857 points (over 1000 more than the next player). The following quote reveals the key to his success: “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

Gretzky could see and adapt to trends and patterns on the ice. Great professional quarterbacks do the same. They know the bad habits in the pass coverage of their opposition and take full advantage of the opportunities. This ability comes from studying films of previous games and looking for places to adapt the field of play to their advantage.

Watch for and adapt to patterns and trends. Anticipate where the puck is going next.

Related Links:

Becoming a Leader (Part 1)

Becoming a Leader (Part 2)

Becoming a Leader (Part 3)

Becoming a Leader (Part 4)

Becoming a Leader (Part 5)

Becoming a Leader (Part 6)

Becoming a Leader (Part 7)

Becoming a Leader (Part 8)

Becoming a Leader (Part 9)

Becoming a Leader (Part 10)

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