We live in a highly critical world. A world in which it is far easier to critique someone else than it is to give praise to someone. That’s just the world that we live in. The more you are in a leadership position with tons of responsibility, the easier it is for people to be HIGHLY critical of your leadership. That’s the world we live in.
One thing that I have learned from playing the quarterback position in football and in being a fierce entrepreneur and independent business owner for 15 years is this: do NOT value praise and do NOT value criticism. The person who wants praise but doesn’t want criticism is doomed. The person who listens only to criticism and doesn’t listen to praise is also equally doomed.
The best way to handle yourself and move into a leadership position is to listen to neither. Do not place any value on praise and place no value on criticism. Just remain neutral. I’m not saying be a robot. I’m just saying to listen to both and let both go in one ear and out the other and keep performing and striving to perform at a high level. Your only mission as a leader is to perform well. Everyone elses mission is to critique that performance. Leaders perform, non leaders praise and critique it. Which side are you on?
