Even though the big gurus talk about the 360 analysis and how important it is that we get feedback from the people around us, the reality is that we all love the positive feedback but...
who wants to hear that they're not doing so hot and that other people can see our flaws?
No one - not me, not you, not the guy who has parsley stuck in his teeth.
And about the guy with parsley, most people won't even tell him that it's there or that he has toilet paper on his shoe. Folks would rather let you go around looking stupid than tell you the truth and run the risk of you not liking them.
I can hear some of you right now saying "I would tell you if you had parsley in your teeth!!" Ok, I'll give you that but would you tell your best friend that there is no market for her products or that she isn't a great yoga instructor? Would you tell them that they can't manage people or that the staff are laughing at them behind their back? Would you want someone to tell you all of this if it were you?
Having a tough hide in business isn't optional. If we don't start asking for feedback from others and accepting the feedback that they are offering, we are going to be waiting too long to become profitable if it happens at all. If we only seek out the compliments and continue to ignore the tough lessons, we won't be in business for very long. When someone with a good heart offers you an opinion about what they see, don't ignore it. There could be some truth in that advice.
My first attempt at business - teaching women how to manage the power centres of the non-traditional world, was a flop. I had a course that was only half baked, had no real idea how to sell to corporations and had barriers to success that I was in denial about. Instead I walked around as if I was ready to go when that contract arrived. Truth was, I had no idea what I didn't know until I hired my first coach.
I had a good person in my life who wasn't afraid to tell me what I needed to hear. I listened when she told me that I was never going to sell one of my programs unless I learned how to market correctly and if the course wasn't ready to go, no one would want to purchase it. It was one of the toughest things I have ever had to listen to. But I did listen - went out and got certified as an adult educator and hired a coach to help me market my services. I was a little peeved at Sherri but truth is, I needed to hear this.
I got over it!!!
If you're not having the results you are expecting in your business, take a giant leap. Ask someone in your circle whom you trust and respect to give you some honest feedback. Ask more than one person to see if others feel the same way as well. Call it market research or call it common sense. If you're not gaining any traction in your business - it might just be YOU!!! Are you ready for that?
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