Living in Increase (Part 6) - Increase in LeadershipSample

Humble Leaders Accept Feedback

“Allow yourself to fail but know it’s not the end of the world when you do.” – John Maxwell

Let’s be honest here. Receiving criticism or constructive feedback can be HARD. I have been in situations where I received criticism that wasn’t even “constructive.” What I mean is that they gave me no steps to improve. I started my career in teaching but left early on because a principal told me I wasn’t a good fit as a teacher. She didn’t tell me what I was doing wrong, and she didn’t give me any steps on how to improve. I was utterly crushed. I left teaching and allowed these comments to haunt me for years.

Was she wrong? Maybe, maybe not. I wouldn’t sit here and contemplate what my life would have looked like if I had remained a teacher. I have my Master’s in ABA now and am proud to be a Behavior Analyst! However, I will say that if I had humbled my heart, I would have been able to take this criticism a little better.

Hearing constructive criticism is never “easy.” That was seven years ago, and I still struggle to receive feedback. However, Proverbs 11:2 reminds us that when we are humble, there is wisdom. We must try and learn to be okay with failing.

Unfortunately, the higher you go as a leader, the more criticism you will receive. To go the distance in leadership, we must accept that we are not perfect. We will make mistakes, and the best leaders can learn from those mistakes. Furthermore, we can use examples from our lives (good and bad) to better inform how we give feedback to others. Even if that principal didn’t give me clear points to learn from, I did learn how I want to provide feedback to others, and now I can share that insight with you!

Carley Sheppard

Action Step: Ask a friend or mentor for areas where you can get better. The more you know, the more you can grow and the less surprised you will be when you receive criticism.