Good leaders keep one or two people who are allowed to tell them they’re being a jerk.

LEADERSHIP

WHAT THIS MEANS

Honest feedback dries up as you gain any amount of standing, not because people stop noticing but because saying it gets expensive. Without somebody permitted to tell you when you are being unpleasant, you can drift a long way while believing you are fine. That permission has to be given explicitly and then protected by how you take it.

Ask one or two people you trust to tell you when you are off, and make clear you mean it. The first time one of them does, thank them and change something. That is the only thing that keeps the offer real.

A QUESTION TO SIT WITH

Who is allowed to tell you when you are being awful?

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