Dad Talk ep. 1 - Wearing a Mask
I’ve had almost two decades of leadership experience spanning from leading small teams to very large teams over 300 people in a multitude of environments. Does this make me a good leader by default? Hell naw! But how would someone measure such an attribute?
The answer is, you cannot. Not any two leaders are the same, ever. I suppose one could measure how willing their subordinates would be willing to follow their orders or help materialize their visions…but what about their peers? What about their leaders? I’m putting these thoughts into this blog because of situations I’ve encountered recently with “leaders” who thought so highly of themselves that they were appalled to find out they weren’t as good as they thought.
Additionally, I recently went to a conference where leadership techniques were explored thoroughly. One of the questions that the key note speaker asked really resonated with me and made me self-reflect on who I am as a leader. He asked “How many of you know a leader who acts different at work than they would outside of work?” A bunch of people raised their hands, including me. He then asked “How many of you are that leader?” Less people raised their hands, but I still had my hand raised. He then asked “How many of you think that those leaders, or yourself, would be considered authentic?” Everyone who had their hand raised, including myself, slowly extracted our hands back down. I came to the realization that I had allowed myself to become someone I’m not while wearing the uniform. I was not the same person that I was at home, or around friends, or at the gym. I had a different persona for each, and I still do.
This is something I’ve begun to make changes with as I near the end of my military career. I don’t want to be a different person in each setting anymore. Even though, to some degree, I have been molded that way as I inched closer and closer to the top of the Chain of Command in each of my organizations.
My question to you is this; Are you a different person depending on your environment?
You don’t have to answer in the comments or anything, but perhaps just take a moment to self-reflect as I have. Ask yourself, is that what you want? Is that required for the job or environment you are in? Finally, ask yourself if you would follow you.
Food for thought.
Iron Dad
