Are you the same person when no one is looking?
As one CEO put it, “to be truly successful you must be the same person on-stage as off-stage”. In the age of social media, this advice is timely and becoming more important than ever.
I’ve worked with some very successful people that essentially live double lives. They profess to living by one set of principals, only to behave differently off-the-clock.
Projecting a public persona that differs from the person you are, when nobody is looking, lacks integrity and taints everything you’ll ever accomplish. Experiences from one life will always impact and define the other. Even if you experience great success, you’ll continue to burn energy trying to keep your world’s separated and wondering if, at any moment, you’ll lose it all.
The double-lifers aren’t necessarily bad people: fear, selfishness, insecurity, ambition or the expectations of others often drive the process.
But there is HOPE! I’ve just completed interviews with three high-profile CEO’s and it’s clear to me that a new breed of executive is coming of age. Instead of being lulled into the double-life syndrome, these new leaders are building their organizations based on who they are – warts and all. Top talent flocks to these authentic leaders because organizational culture isn’t engineered it’s simply a reflection of the real people that work there. You can feel the difference as you walk the halls of their organizations. It’s refreshing, uplifting and as an added bonus incredibly profitable.
I’m so excited to introduce you to a few of these high-integrity leaders. In the coming months, I’ll be sharing their success stories and giving you the opportunity to be a part of the process by nominating people you know that fit the mold of the high-integrity leader.
