If you don’t want to know if your favorite jeans give you pancake-butt, don’t ask.
I give straightforward advice. Tactful if possible, but honest.
When I spend energy to give constructive feedback, I hope you choose to act upon my advice. I strive to bring you incredible value and insight. I worked hard — and failed hard — to gain my knowledge.
But feedback is not an automatic directive.
Feedback is powerful. Feedback from friends. Family. Peers. Co-workers. Even strangers.
You act upon feedback to help your business.
Or you can choose not to act. That is an act itself.
The world worships action. Just do it. Act now. Challenge accepted. Let’s do this.
Those are powerful reminders that to act upon a goal is to put fear aside and propel yourself into bravery. And that is good.
But when you hire a coach – business, life, marketing, social media, whatever – you keep veto power for your business.
You own this business. You own your career.
I have felt the sting of having a professional demand I follow their advice. Someone who bristles at my hesitation or my need to weigh the cost. Who uses shame to try to win my action.
Listen to advice from your trusted advisers. Surround yourself with smart, supportive people who give honest feedback. Learn from the mistakes of others.
But remember… Persuasion seeks increased understanding. Manipulation does not.
When a coach or adviser you hired demands you follow their advice or shames you to conform, remember that you have veto power.
Use it.