Why Pride? Part VI: The Power of Openness to Feedback 👂

In our ongoing exploration of True Pride, we've discussed three key components: Self-Awareness, Humility, and Compassion. These act as buffers between our True selves and False Pride.

We recognized that there are people who not only made a very successful career through their own effort and hard work but also were capable of eliminating the risk of slipping to the side of False Pride by exercising these components.

Now, let's examine the fourth component of True Pride: Openness to Feedback. We'll explore a compelling example that demonstrates its positive impact.

An AT&T Labs and the Netflix Prize

In 2007, Netflix offered a $1 million prize to anyone who could improve their movie recommendation algorithm by 10%.

An AT&T Labs team entered the competition and started making progress, but they hit a roadblock and couldn't seem to improve their results further.

Instead of stubbornly persisting with their existing approach, the team decided to seek out feedback from other participants in the competition. They joined forces with several other teams, including the eventual winners - a combined team of engineers, statisticians, and computer scientists from different countries.

By openly acknowledging their limitations, putting aside egos, and embracing feedback from others, the combined team was able to analyze the problem from new perspectives. They integrated different techniques and ultimately developed an algorithm that achieved the required 10% improvement, winning the $1 million prize.

In their own words: "We figured... if we all combined forces, we'd have a better chance. Turns out we were right."

This example showcases how being open to feedback, even from unlikely sources like competitors, can lead to breakthrough solutions. The AT&T team's willingness to seek out different viewpoints and incorporate new approaches directly contributed to their eventual success.

If the AT&T Labs team had not been open to feedback and had worked completely independently from others, they wouldn't have achieved their goal - neither helping Netflix with their challenge nor earning the substantial prize. 

The Power of Openness to Feedback

This openness to feedback, one of the key components of True Pride, allowed the AT&T team to overcome their limitations and achieve success by collaborating with others, rather than stubbornly persisting with their own approach out of hubris or ego.

As we've seen, openness to feedback is crucial for eliminating the risk of falling into False Pride.

Want to explore the consequences of ignoring this vital component? 

False Pride in Melissa

Dive into "Melissa," a gripping novel where a brilliant scientist's lack of feedback leads to monstrous results. Read more about "Melissa" on Our Webpage.

Do you want to share Your thoughts? Share them on Goodreads, or Amazon!

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