Launching

I gave this project everything, working non-stop night after night. I didn't just double-check every detail, I triple-checked it. I didn’t settle for anything less than perfection.

Launch day dawned, and the first wave of feedback started rolling in. It was incredible, a sweet payoff for all my hard work. There were high-fives all around, people calling it a game-changer.

But then, some anonymous guy dropped a bomb: “It’s whatever.” Really? This was the thanks I got for all those late nights and careful planning?

“Whatever”? Did it take him all day to come up with that? He probably wouldn't recognize innovation if it smacked him in the face. It’s like showing a 3D movie to someone who forgot their glasses.

But then, as a leader, I remembered the importance of all feedback, even the negative. It’s what helped me improve, get better. I took a deep breath, calming myself. I wanted to respond with grace and maturity, to be the bigger person. So, I crafted a reply that was dignified, one that put me above the pettiness, and hit send: “Whatever your face.”