This week’s quote comes from one of this week’s Linkedin Daily Rundowns. The quote actually comes from Cameron Elliot’s post about asking for feedback. It’s something that sticks with me as I think about growth both personally and professionally.

It’s a topic I think a lot about. How do I grow? How do I help my colleagues grow? What about my clients and their digital users?

Without feedback, it’s not possible to grow because you never really know where to focus. The conversations can be tough, but it’s important not to make them confrontational. I think we all know no one’s perfect and there’s always room for growth. I have an ego and try to check it at the door before starting any evaluation. With that being said I also try to do a first honest look at successes and failure, at areas that I think could be perceived as growth opportunities. I know this can be easier said than done, but at least it is a starting point.

At my last annual review, I said as part of my first answer, “It’s been an up and down year.” That set the tone for a longer conversation about how there could be more highs than lows in the year to come. Let’s face it, life’s a roller coaster. We’re all trying to figure it out and with honest conversations we can better ourselves and learn from our past.