No one laughed.

Recently, I went to an OpenMic event where comedians get the chance to test their programs. One of the performances was heartbreaking. No one laughed. Not a single time.

Which was a good thing. Because it provided the comedian with an opportunity to grow. Had we laughed, he would have assumed that the jokes do work.

But that night, the jokes didn’t work. Now he knows. And can work from there.

In general, comedians are in the fortunate position to get immediate feedback on any of their actions on stage.

Great comedians seek these situations out.

In business (or even in private life), it often feels easier to hide from similar situations. After all, it feels so much better to get reassurance than rejection.

But if growth is your goal, then the comedian’s way of getting honest feedback might be a better approach.