Ron White says, “You can’t fix stupid.”  That may or may not be true, but I’m certain any individual, group or organization can employ one simple discipline to help minimize the visible and consequential presence of “stupid” in life.  The one step that is so amazingly and frequently overlooked is asking others for honest feedback on any possible course of action, behavior or choice of words I may be contemplating for my life.

Yes, some consider me a master of the obivous.  However, what may be considered obvious in some circles is clearly ignored entirely by a growing number of otherwise seemingly intelligent people.  In our personal, social and public lives and in our society at large we are witnessing “stupid” on a daily basis because someone didn’t (or wouldn’t) take time to ask a group of “trusted truth tellers” to offer perspective on a possible course of action.  If I won’t seek and take good counsel, “stupid” will probably become my ever-present companion.

I’m not suggesting that I have to do what “trusted truth tellers” suggest, but I am absolutely stating that the smartest people in the room grew smart in large part because of their discipline to seek and honestly assess the insight and wisdom others can offer. 

A partial listing of what has to happen to minimize “stupid” includes…

• A genuine willingness to let carefully selected others see / hear what is in me before I display it for the general public.
• Trusted-truth tellers: people who will speak truth in love to me, even if it ruffles my feathers, hurts my feelings or derails my plans.
• My internally generated discipline to 1) stay in that environment, 2) respect that environment and those people, and 3) give careful and honest consideration to what is said.
• A fundamental awareness that I can always benefit from additional information / perspective.

In any arena of life I can benefit from feedback.  Ken Blanchard rightly says that “feedback is the breakfast of champions”.   In marriage, with kids, with friends, in business, in positions of influence or positions of simple service, feedback before and after action is taken and words are spoken will become a wonderful friend who looks out for me and helps me minimize “stupid”.