Playing Ostrich to Feedback Comes With an Opportunity Cost and Reputation Risk
Dr. David Lenihan, CEO of Ponce Health Sciences University and co-founder of Tiber Health.
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“The trick to viewing feedback as a gift is to be more worried about having blind spots than hearing about them.”
James Clear
Author of Atomic Habits
Writer and speaker
Dr. David Lenihan
CEO of Ponce Health Sciences University
Co-founder of Tiber Health
It’s pointless trying to avoid feedback, says a medical CEO.
“When you're a member of an organizational team, playing the ostrich never works because you can't see or recognize risks to your position that may be approaching,” says Dr. David Lenihan, CEO of Ponce Health Sciences and co-founder of Tiber Health.
This resistance to learning comes at an opportunity cost, he contends.
“You also aren't allowing yourself to be guided or mentored by someone who believes in your abilities and is looking out for your best interests,” Lenihan says. “Being open to feedback from an experienced and respected superior offers you the opportunity to improve your performance and continue being a valued asset.”
Believing that feedback is unnecessary or inaccurate is additionally dangerous to one’s standing and possibly, job security.
“Refusing to hear or accept this input will quite possibly jeopardize your position in the organization,” Lenihan warns.
Building up humility to make it larger and stronger than ego is a checkpoint for smarter thinking, reactions and responses to want to learn from others.
“The ability to be receptive to humbling feedback comes from the clarity and maturity that comes with experience,” Lenihan says. “Everyone at one time or another avoids bad news, criticism — even if it's constructive — or commentary that isn't glowing.
“Those who succeed avoid it less.”
