We all know the saying, we are our own worst critic, but is it true? If so, what can we do about it?

It is actually truer than you may think because we often live in a fantasy world, believing we are good at something when we are really among the worst. That fantasy world is what I spoke about last week at two conferences (Linkage, The Best of Talent Management and the Kennedy conference: Recruiting2007).

The damage delusion can have on your career or on your company if you cannot identify it, particularly during the recruiting process, can be huge. We all know the lasting negative effect a bad sales person, a bad waiter or a bad president can have on your business. But the worse thing it can do is push people down a career path they believe they’re good at, only to awaken many years later when the damage is too obvious to avoid.

But, are we delusional? Cornell Professor David Dunning has conducted rigorous studies that show how much we are. In short 80% of the population is above average! If you need more details, read the latest Q&A with David Dunning in the Gallup management Journal or his papers on the topic.

The core question that remains is what can we do about delusion once we have acknowledged it?

Nobody wants to waste their life and destroy previous hard work by simply being ignorant or delusional. That is exactly why Checkster exists: to ask for candid confidential feedback on one’s performance. Obtain feedback in the privacy of your Checkster account and understand where you shine and what areas you should improve on.

Try our free basic version at www.checkster.com