I went to urgent care last week with an ear problem. I’d been using Q-Tips. The doctor gave me the look. You know the look. The “tell me you didn’t use a Q-Tip” look.

She was right. Q-Tips don’t clean ears. They pack the wax deeper. Which makes everything worse.

And then I thought of my coaching client. A VP at a Fortune 100, brilliant, ready to quit because her boss told her she’d missed the point on a deck. She was paralyzed. Hours before a global executive presentation. So I told her about the Q-Tip.

QTIP. Quit Taking It Personally. It’s not just a cotton swab. It’s a way of life.

In this episode, I unpack why taking feedback personally is the leadership equivalent of shoving a Q-Tip deeper, the 4 most common fragile-ego patterns, and the one-day challenge to start practicing emotional hygiene.

🎧 Press play. Put down the Q-Tip.

In this episode:

▶ The urgent care visit that became a leadership lesson
▶ My F100 VP client who was paralyzed an hour before a global executive presentation
▶ QTIP: Quit Taking It Personally (the acronym that changes everything)
▶ The 4 fragile-ego patterns: insulted intelligence, missing praise, excluded from meetings, unrealistic workload
▶ Why taking it personally packs the problem deeper inside you
▶ Emotional hygiene as a leadership practice
▶ The 1-day challenge: go a full day without taking anything personally

If feedback feels like a personal attack on your character, this one’s for you.

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Isn’t It Time You Got To The Next Level?

The Free Leadership Diagnostic Workshop >> Uncover the hidden patterns keeping you stuck. www.TheBestLeadershipCompany.com/leadership-diagnostic-workshop

The Best Leadership Newsletter Ever >> www.TheBestLeadershipNewsletter.com

Everything Else Jeff >> linktr.ee/jeffmatlow

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Show Notes

[00:00] Introduction
[00:50] Q-Tips
[03:38] When Your Boss Says Your Work Isn’t Good
[05:56] Q-Tip: It’s Not Just A Cotton Swab, It’s A Way Of Life
[06:23] The Failure of A Fragile Ego
[07:36] It’s Time for Emotional Hygiene
[08:53] The Challenge: Put Down the Q-Tip

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