CEO Note to Self

ARE YOU BECOMING A CARIACATURE OF YOURSELF???

It happens when your real self  begins to hide behind your public persona.

You'll notice it when you begin to make fun of your own speeches.   "OK going out to the stores to give them the "get it right now, grow it right now" speech.  Fill in your own version.

You'll notice it when you want live up to the spin that you know is spin.  Very different from wanting to live up to the best you want to be.

You'll notice it when you begin to feel slightly like a celebrity instead of just a good old hard working business leader.  In fact if you balked at that wording---then just maybe you're sliding toward cariacture.

You'll notice it when you watch how you are doing in a meeting instead of how your people are doing.
You may be beginning to lead as a facade.

You'll notice it when you dread a public speech as you have to pump yourself up for performance instead of being ready to be real and sincere with your people.

You'll notice it when you are bored or stuck in your business but keep on rah rahing along.

You'll notice it when you, yourself,  don't want to sit with you at a dinner as you press the play button and go into cariacture mode.

Staying fresh and real and honest is tough when you hold the top position.  People are so ready to project things on to you that becoming a cariacture is almost inevitable.  Unless you have 2 or 3  people outside  the organization who tell you their truth, who call you out when you feel phony to them and who laugh when you go pompous.  That takes the courage of real friendship or real professional, non kiss-ass, support.

I hope you have that or a good card board blow-up of yourself smiling and waving.