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Take Your Own Advice

This is a tough question, and when I ask myself sometimes I don't like the answer: do you ever ignore your own advice?

I train people in leadership skills. One of the skills includes communication. I encourage people to identify, plan, initiate, and follow-thru on tough conversations. You know what I mean - the kinds of conversations that make us nervous. It takes courage, confidence, and focus to see them thru. But it's so important, conducting those tough conversations is at the heart of effective high performance leadership.

But sometimes I duck them myself. Whoa. Sometimes, I know I have a tough conversation that is needed with someone that I work with, work for, or live with and then...and then...suddenly I get so busy with other important stuff that the conversation misses its window of opportunity. Could that be a mistake? From my experience I'd say that is always a mistake.

I've learned to have the tough conversations, whether they are comfortable or not, whether I have time or not, whether I even want to or not. It's my advice, and I've learned to take it. Why don't I always follow that advice?

No excuses. No justification. But, I'm human. You're human. We're human. We're going to continue to make mistakes, even when we know better.

We can grow. We will improve. Perfection though, that's for the imagination. Even machines break down. Even computers cough up a metaphorical hairball once in a while.

I don't beat myself up about it and neither should you. But lets do face our limitations and if we need coaching or encouragement, find it.

I find it hardest to apply my own advice sometimes. But I'm getting better. How about you?

-- Doug Smith


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