Hide this and broadcast that…

I’ve recently taken on an “old guy” as a client. I rarely do this anymore. I don’t work with public companies and I don’t work with many old guys either. Both are by design. You see, too many public companies pay too much attention to Wall Street and therefore require too much energy from me to turn their gaze from it’s fixation on the green. Too many old guys that are my age suffer the same fixation and don’t want to work to change. They’ve made it and are ready to coast; not get crazy on the “bitch beam” in the 3PP. I want the crazies…

My new client is a strong, vintage model. He’s open, brilliant, and brave. We’re off to a good start because of his real, hard, work. So, I’m pushing him just a bit earlier and harder than normal. I push according to my level of belief. The more I believe in Y.O.U. the harder I push you. Crazy, high performer types love the push.

My most recent push to my new oldie was a classic one. He talks too much. He knows it. He’s not been able to change this. He’s working on being CCD and tuning in like an animal being stalked. He’s getting better. My push to him was to broadcast this “flaw” to everybody. And emphasize another flaw of yours. Tell the team about how your brain works and where it goes when you focus it and why you need their help to call you out when you “zone out” on them. Overcommunicate your flaws I told him. He no likee. This pushed him out of his comfort zone, skipped over the challenge zone, and plopped him right into panic.

Leaders think they have to appear to have their shit together at all times. Leaders think they have to spin the tough messages with an optimistic twist. Leaders think they have to show no weakness, no fault, and always “be the MAN.” The problem with this is that your followers know better. They know that you are human and deeply flawed. Since you won’t talk about it, they will.

With each other.

And, as they do this kinda collaboration, the tendency is to want to “stick it to the MAN.” Since you appear to be invicible, why not.

Reverse the equation. Broadcast your flaws, tell the team what you are doing to fix yourself, and ask them for help, and watch what happens. Strong followers come alongside and really dig in, really help you up, and run through all kinda walls for you. Why? Y.O.U. just became one of them, a human. Followers tend to “stick WITH the huMAN.” Funny, huh.

Hide your virtuous acts and broadcast your flaws. Makes no sense until you think about it, huh.

Want to know how strong you really are? Think, for a minute, about what you’re broadcasting to your teams. Strong leaders hide and broadcast very differently from the norm. How ’bout Y.O.U….