For the sake of change and innovation, I hope you can.

For the sake of future Canadian generations, I hope you can.

For your piece of mind, I hope you can.

I have written often - Constructive Criticism is an Oxymoron [99.44% of the time].

To be clear...

I mean that as an observation. I do not mean that as a moral or philosophical judgment against constructive criticism or a condemnation of criticism in general. It is simply an observation. 

Now...if I was inclined to make a moral or philosophical judgment then:

Criticism is needed and an environment where it can and does happen should be promoted and appreciated. When applied with wisdom and sincerity, criticism should always be received well.

You should have thick skin…criticism only injures you when you allow it to. Even offensively-applied criticism does not have to injure you. It is your choice. If you have thick skin and a thin skull then you know this to be true.

For other people, criticism can be offensive. That's their shortfall...you do not have to be offended by criticism. You can choose to not be offended. You have thick skin...or you can make some character adjustments so you have thick skin. Thick skin provides you the ability to make that sort of choice.

Indeed, criticism cannot be done in a willy-nilly, free-for-all way. Nobody should deliver criticism that way. You are on very thin ice when you choose the targets of your criticism poorly...for example, when you choose to criticize The Boss. That's just common sense. So, inject wisdom before you prescribe criticism.

And, Criticism needs to be bounded. Criticism is best when it is applied in small doses. Be concise. There are times and places for criticism. Be selective. Emotions should be under control when criticism is delivered. Be respectful.

***

Thick Skin: if you prick me, I do not bleed

Thin Skull: if you prick me, I think before I do

***

Here's an idea...call it a Thick-Skin-Thin-Skull suggestion...

The next time you feel inclined to criticize someone take the time to write it out on a piece of paper. Then get another piece of paper and write out a criticism of yourself. Compare the two. Make sure they are about equally-important items and are of equivalent length, level of detail, wording/style and tone.

Then make a choice: 

1. present both of them to the person you wish to criticize or
2. tear them both up and move on to some other activity.

Thought Tweet #735 Slightly annoyed people used to say, "Get a Life". Reality TV has taken the sting out of that admonition.

The Thinking Behind The Tweet

It's now incredibly easy to 'get a life'. Our TV remotes provide us a full range of lives...numerous reality choices with many variations on how to annoy other people - annoying co-workers, annoying family members, annoying aspiring singers & aspiring dancers & aspiring entrepreneurs...annoying all types of people in all types of real-life situations...all available at the flick of a switch.

Question:

Do you spend more time (A) annoying other people or (B) watching people you don't know annoying other people you don't know on TV?

And, for those who are not avid practitioners in the art of annoying others...

Do you spend more time (A) solving your own problems or (B) watching other people struggle with their problems on TV?

Edward de Bono is one of my heroes. In my opinion, he is the world's greatest creative thinking educator.

I have written about Edward de Bono and his 'Six Thinking Hats'...'Six Thinking Hats' is an extremely helpful tool for sorting out your thinking and for communicating with others about thinking.

Here's a picture-summary:

Edward de Bono's 'Six Thinking Hats'

I have a de Bono section in my library. My goal is to collect and red all his books. That's a challenge because he has been prolific, writing well over 50 books. I have just completed reading de Bono's 'Six Action Shoes', (1991). 'Six Action Shoes' is an extremely helpful tool for sorting out your actions and for communicating with others about actions.

Here's a picture-summary:

Edward de Bono's 'Six Action Shoes'

These thinking and action tools provide excellent ways to Seek Simple....a Spirited Leaders' philosophy. When thinking can be summarized in 6 ways...that's seeking simple. When action can be summarized in 6 ways...that's seeking simple. And, that's why Edward de Bono is so amazing. He has been able to unleash his genius [and help others do the same] because he is the master in simplifying before choosing how to think, simplifying before choosing how to act, and knowing when and how to be creative. In other books, he illustrates exactly how to be creative. [Our recent thought post 'Taking Curiosity to Creativity' contains de Bono's signature contribution - lateral thinking.]

Now, Seek Simple is one of Spirited Leaders' core philosophies...another is:

Business Contains Only 3 Things: People, Process, & Situations

Much has been posted about People, Process, & Situations.

Now we will show how Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and Six Action Shoes can be incorporated.

Business Contains Only 3 Things: People, Process, & Situations. 

Here's the picture...

A snapshot in time during your business day - that's what we mean by Situations. That snapshot will contain people [at least 1, you] and it will contain process [at least 1, your thinking]. Process either involves People or machines/mechanisms/tools [designed by People]. For the time being, let's concentrate on the Processes performed by People. There are only 2 types of Processes performed by People: Thinking and Action. If we embrace de Bono's tools, the Processes performed by People have 12 components: 6 ways of thinking and 6 ways of taking action.

In any Situation, People can decide which of the 12 things they will perform.

Here's the picture...

Those are good questions to ask!

[That's Seeking Simple and finding it.]

[That makes for one very Good Habit.]