Use Feedback as Your Personal GPS

In a mid-size tech startup, the newly appointed head of engineering, Maya, prided herself on knowing exactly where to steer her team—until a routine 360° survey revealed that her confidence came across as inflexibility. Colleagues noted she often dismissed their best ideas before fully hearing them out. Stunned, Maya realized she’d been navigating by her own instincts rather than true feedback. Armed with the survey results, she invited a cross-section of ten team members to one-on-one meetings, scribbled their observations, and compared notes. The picture was clear: she had blind spots.

Instead of doubling down on her proven methods, Maya put one small plan into motion. Each morning for the next month, she reviewed her notes and consciously paused before responding in team stand-ups. She asked herself: Did I give every idea a fair hearing? Slowly, her replies shifted from curt dismissals to “Thank you—tell me more.”

By month’s end, her quarterly feedback score rose sharply in the category of “openness to input.” The team buzzed with new ideas and, more importantly, felt genuinely heard. Maya discovered that without the right map—honest feedback—she would still be circling the same old habits, oblivious to their real-world impact.

You’ve collected diverse perspectives on how you come across—now you’re ready to map your blind spots and commit to one meaningful tweak. Remember: change doesn’t come from perfecting everything at once, but from focusing relentlessly on the behavior that matters most. Give yourself the gift of a clearer route, pause before your next response, and watch how others light up when they feel truly heard.