I’m often told not to worry about what other people think, that their opinions have no bearing on how I go about life. All of us are told we make our choices, and march to our own drummer and another person’s opinion shouldn’t influence our own.
I’m not so sure I agree with this.
I get why we tell our kids not to worry about other people in a sticks and stones sort of way. We don’t want them to be hurt by name calling or have to succumb to peer pressure. However, adults and businesses absolutely do have to consider what other people are saying. Sometimes we don’t see things about ourselves or the way we do business unless we hear it from someone else.
All Feedback is Good Feedback
Say Brand X rolls out the next ultra cool gadget. There’s huge buzz leading up to it and the launch is a great success. Once folks buy Gadget X and take it home, they realize it’s a dud. They feel betrayed. Unless they call to complain, write up reviews in technical journals, or write about it on their blogs, how with Brand X know they launched a clunker? Unless we discuss specific issues with the people who make the decisions, how will they know what to fix? The feedback might hurt on the short term, but in the long run it could make the difference between going down in flames and making the comeback of the year.
On a personal level, reading about me and my blogs on other blogs allowed me to learn and grow in a way I wouldn’t have if I didn’t know what people thought of me. It wasn’t always positive, but all points were worth considering. Even when people aren’t very nice with their criticism, they might have valid points. I ignore the stuff that’s not true or just being insulting for the sake of being insulting, and take notes on the rest.
Change is a good thing
Some folk are afraid of change (due to feedback) because it means they failed or that they’re giving in to their detractors. I kind of think this is silly. I can’t think of one person or business who can’t do with a little change in image now and then. Times change, people change, and we can either change with them or live in the past.
Name calling is never pretty and mature people know how to discuss issues and grievances without stooping to petty nastiness. However, don’t dismiss all negativity. Criticism is often based on fact. Consider whether or not detractors have valid arguments.
Sticks and stones is for grade school, grownups carefully weigh all feedback – both positive and negative.
Do you worry about what others think about you? How have you made changes based on feedback?
