They know how long you've been in the toilet

There is something very tangible about what happens the more senior you become, you become more famous; famous in the confines of your own mind and the business in which you operate.

Leader? Then you are famous

As a senior client of mine said, "it's like being a rock star, but without the benefits", which could have meant quite a lot. What he was referring to and to quote, "everyone know who you are, even if they don't like you or report into you, you are senior, thus you are famous.

So that is quite a new paradigm for people moving up the ladder to appreciate and those who have been there a while to remember.

Your smallest movements, the way you phrase something, the humour you apply or don't, the attention you give a thing, the praise you utilise, your willingness to be present, to contribute to others....the list goes on and on.

That's tricky for some people to deal with, it can lead to discomfort and over sensitivity on ones personal impact and brand or even go the other way where the individual switches off and 'automates' their character as being 'neutral' is 'safer'. 

It is you being, you

Well you know that and that is where the fun starts. The calibration of one's brand? That always sounds a little contrived, I prefer the word 'identity', as your identity is who you really are. It's not a character that you are fulfilling, its you being you, but in that role and that context.

What do I do?

Some simple tips:

• Frame your learning as continual, you are forever learning and gaining insight
• Seek counsel, you can't see the back of your own head
• Demonstrate your new behaviours and again seek counsel on your impact
• Recognise that your 'intent is not always your impact' and seek counsel
• Make steps to accept you don't need to know everything
• Make steps to recognise you don't have to have all the answers
• Ensure your have 1-4 people you can seek counsel from

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Guy Bloom is a Leadership Evolutionist and the creator of Living Brave with a commitment to bring the future of leadership into the present day and help businesses create a sustainable, legacy driven, commercially savvy environment.