Is it okay to be self-critical?
Before we begin with this video, have you seen this list of things to do before 2020? It's not too late! Now, onto today's piece. We live in a world where taking care of your mental health and ensuring you are ‘well' is increasingly important. This is great and we agree. However, does this mean it is okay to be self-critical still? Or is it better to spend all day congratulating yourself and sugarcoating your shortcomings? In Samuel's business meetings, he spends 90% of the time talking about what's going badly and what needs to be improved.
Of course, he makes time for celebration and applause for good things but there is more value in criticism. Introspection isn't a bad thing, it helps you grow. As a business owner, you must think about how to improve your system, your product, your services, the way you invest and more. It's a daily attempt to get better and be the best. Athletes have the same philosophy, so why would it be different in business? Of course it's okay to be self-critical, you should be excited by the opportunity to evolve from it.
Samuel also uses this ego-free approach to recruiting new personnel. He doesn't care so much for qualifications, he's much more interested in attitude, energy and character. Somebody could apply for a role with a plump, pompous CV but that doesn't automatically mean they're going to be good for the company. In this video, you can find out more about how Samuel approaches his team and what his values are. There are lots of gems in this clip which you can use and apply to your own circumstances.
For those of you who have a team or are hoping to be a leader, here's a quote which you'll find useful. It's from Richard Branson and it states, “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to”. This is one of Samuel's favourite quotes and you can see why. What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments section below the video.
