Good leaders help guide us. They make the tough calls that keep departments, regions and whole organizations moving forward. Their leadership will determine the outcome of the organization either in a positive or negative way.

As well-intentioned leaders, we will always need to improve our skills in order to provide the leadership our teams expect from us. One way to achieve this goal is by seeking and receiving feedback from others. Let’s begin by focusing on who we are as a person.

Know Thyself

The fastest route to self-awareness is getting to know yourself inside without blinders on. Just because a leader is great at root-cause analysis doesn’t mean they can identify their own challenges as proficiently. Many leaders see organizational problems as easier to deal with by coping rather than evaluate and solve them.

The same can be said of leaders coping with individual issues. While we know leaders are not perfect, this truth is more than enough to signal a need for a self-exam. The number of clashes of personalities and behaviors leaders face on any given day, should alone be indicative that something is needed to bring change from the top down.

The key to progress here is knowing the difference between personality and behavioral conflicts as they are miles apart in meaning. You choose to behave one way or another while your personality is a trait within.

Your self-exam here is the key to making the right behavior choice and recognize poor habits.

Sincerity

Influential leaders all share a level of sincerity better revealed from the aforementioned self-exam. Genuineness, honesty, authenticity, are all synonymous with sincerity.

When push comes to shove and you are in the heat of the situation or moment, how would your true self react? This is where asking yourself and answering honestly right now, will define your next steps to working on your sincerity.

Receiving Feedback

Yes, this is the one where everybody wants praise as feedback but will never ask in case it won’t be. Another reason why feedback is rarely asked of others is that many people will fear retaliation or risk losing a good relationship because of honest feedback.

This one is always surrounded by an emotional dynamic that often crosses the lines between professional and personal situations. The reality is that it is awkward to give and receive honest feedback. You can be a great communicator to your team but not realize you’ve been stifling their creativity or confidence all along because you simply monopolize the conversation with your own ideas.

Seeking Feedback

Good, influential leaders are not shy about seeking feedback from colleagues and followers regularly. They support the organizations mission and vision completely and are committed to the belief that there is always a measure of improvement with the addition of others feedback to ensure the mission and vision remain true.

No egos are bruised here and given the openness of feedback, influential leaders work with a level of transparency that those who do not use feedback would find difficult.

Leaders seeking feedback will need to assure those they’ve asked (perhaps more than once) that there will be no retaliation and the expectation is honest feedback and to be as candid as they can. Asking the right people, the right questions and your ability to interpret the answers wisely and as accurate to the process are very important to achieve this component.