Critics are everywhere in life. But they all seem to have the same things in common. Here is how I generally see them.
1. They speak with great authority about things they have never done themselves or know little about. But they sure can talk as if they have done it all.
2. They say what others can’t do because they don’t know how to do it themselves, so how could anyone else possibly know how.
3. They have a track record of few accomplishments none of which are notable. But they speak as if they do.
4. They believe and talk as if they have a 365 degree view from a mountain top when they are simply on a small foothill with a very limited view.
5. They give little to no credence to either experience or track record of others.
6. They believe the most important opinion in the room is their own.
7. They believe that listening means others have to agree with them, and if others don’t agree with them, then they believe that others didn’t listen.
8. They don’t know how to say sorry nor do they want to, but expect it from others.
9. They are constantly offended where none was intended because they connect dots that are not connected.
10. They believe they solve problems but can’t see the greater problems they create.
In my own mind there is a vast difference between the critic and those who engage in constructive feedback.
Being the Founder is like carrying a target on your back. Shots come from everywhere and they are unrelenting. It is a punishing process both externally and internally. Part of the job is taking the shots from the peanut gallery graciously, some you can brush off others can cut deeper.
It’s a lonely job, with a never ending process of being on stage off stage, constant presentations, sales calls, internal meetings and many pivots along the way. It is being inside of a meat grinder of sorts. It ‘s knowing at times you have to take the blame, and then giveing the credit to others all of which is part of the job.
If you push to hard you’re unreasonable, if you push to soft you are weak. The position of Founder requires perfection and of course perfection is only a series of fleeting moments in-between something that is less than perfect.
While a business has its grind stage in a start up mode before it busts out into is breakout mode the position of a Founder is the constant state of being in the grind.
I focus on being an learning engine, the Founders grind has made me a better person and executive I think. While overtime you can change the views of moderate critics and talkers the hard core ones are by nature are typically unwilling to change and adapt. So the only reasonable thing to do is to take the shots and see what you can learn from it.
Take note of this simple observation, film critics don’t make films, business critics don’t build business. The critics don’t build, create or invent, they simply talk about those that do.
As for me I was born to be a Founder not a critic or a talker but a doer.
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