I was watching the finale of Survivor last night (I had totally forgotten it on Sunday) and saw some particularly interesting exchanges between contestants. Numerous failed contestants were critiquing the performance of successful ones and it made me wonder. Being open for feedback is one thing but who do you listen to? (Or correctly stated, to whom do you listen?)

• If you’re a working stiff, do you ned to always listen to your boss?
• Should you always listen to customers?
• How about direct reports, co-workers etc?
• Your family, friends or even your mom?

In starting a business, I am struggling with this right now. I pride myself on being open to feedback but I’m getting too many different messages to be able to figure out who I should be listening to.

I figure the key thing is that as long as you’re open to feedback, it will all work itself out. The minute you’re not open to feedback from someone or some group then you run the risk of missing some nugget of truth.

It all comes down to something I’ve said before. You have to wake up each morning thinking that everything you know could be wrong. If you don’t think this then you might miss some very important piece of feedback.

You have to be open for feedback but that doesn’t mean you have to take it.