Marriage & Leadership

Or, why can’t I just be me?

When I got married, I really had no clue what I was doing.

My “education” on marriage had been quite limited. I hadn’t taken any course or program on it. Sure, I’d read some articles about how to have a successful one, but safe to say I was more informed about algebra than I was about marriage.

So, any strengths I brought into the marriage didn’t necessarily translate into what I’d need during it.
Enter feedback from my wife. Being a good partner is an ongoing effort, and feedback will be an ongoing consequence of those efforts.

The same goes for leadership. If you’ve recently received constructive feedback from your Board, Manager, Peers and/or Direct Reports, that’s the price of admission. Sure, it may sting, but what’s the alternative? Assuming you’ll always have what your people, customers, and circumstances require??? And if you’re not even asking for feedback, well……..

Marriage and leadership are a lot alike. Few people are adequately prepared for either. And being who we are will likely be insufficient for all that we’ll confront. People, circumstances, and expectations evolve, and so must we.

So, if you’re struggling with some tough feedback, welcome to the club. Review it, learn from it, and respond accordingly.

And then move on. Life is too short to stay stuck trying to be the person you’ve always been.