In the leadership journey, be sure to have hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, name it come your way. It’s one of the most challenging. A leader’s obligation is to the team and the team’s to the leader and society. Whenever anything goes wrong in the team or its activities to the society the leaders are answerable. Alongside these mishaps come criticism. If the society isn’t satisfied by whatever effort is being put to serve it, it will complain. Sometimes in bitter words when its wroth and sometimes with a little consideration for the effort being pumped into work. This more often than not puts the leader at a vulnerable position. Their feelings may sometimes be hurt especially when they put a hundred and one percent dedication into their work and it somehow ends up not bearing enough fruit in society’s eyes. They may assume that every critic out there is a hater and doesn’t want to show even an ounce of appreciation for their efforts.
I have myself been in such positions before. When you feel like quitting because no one is seeing how much sweat is dripping from your forehead or how many sleepless nights you have or how much of your being you immerse in service or how much of your time and energy you sacrifice. But my mentors have always told me that nothing done by a human being can ever be perfect because of our nature. This are the ways I salve those feelings.
1. Everything is trial and error and experimentation. In order to excel, one has to be completely dedicated, be prepared to work tremendously hard and accept constructive criticism however it slaps you.
2. In every bitter word, the least that you want to hear, extract only that which will help you build your capacity and you will grow most.
3. Everyone is a team player. A true team player will not use pretty words, because true words aren’t pretty. They’ll have the pluck to tell you what you need to hear. Not in a way to demean your spirit as an individual or as a team but to compel you to examine yourselves and find causes and solutions to shortcomings.
4. Team players will rebuke you reasonably. You just need the courage, courtesy and consideration to see that its for a reason and for a good course.
5. The leader and the team put work out in many forms and many stages. This is a representation of the extent to which they see things. If it invites compliments, comments and criticism, then there is progression.
6. Treat criticism as sacrosanct at times. Not everyone presenting it is a hater, someone out here is trying to open your eyes and clear your vision.
Leadership requires time for growth and hard thinking for development. Don’t give up yet.
laurahthinks 