A Letter From A Renegade

There is extreme value in being self-aware, to being able to recognize and acknowledge who you are and your unique genetic make-up. Equally of value, is how it applies and impacts those around you as well as each independent decision you make, down to your next calculated step. 

With this in mind, for a Renegade to keep his or her sanity, a certain level of perspective needs to constantly be in play. This caters to the stark realization that you will not be understood, your logic will not be followed; and your foresight will fall victim to hindsight due to the mindset, views, opinions and beliefs of others. For those of you nodding your head with eyebrows raised in acknowledgement of this all too familiar setting, just be aware that for others, it’s puzzling. 

I wanted to bring these points to the surface in order to set the stage for what follows. It’s an enlightening letter that I received last week from Allana Williamson, a Renegade who made my day by imparting a great deal of valuable insight, perspective and wisdom in her words that I simply felt compelled to share with my community. 

You will note that she didn’t simply send me a paragraph, she wrote a deeply thought out, personal depiction of what her Renegade experience and professional life looks like. I encourage everyone upon reading this, to acknowledge her experiences and perspectives in the comments below. If you have been or, are currently walking a similar path, please feel free to share that as well. But for now… Enjoy!

Allana Williamson – Renegade

Before today, the label “Renegade” was elusive to me. I associated the word with a 90’s TV series and as the title of a few pop songs that have since come and gone. I never imagined the word would change my life.

In 2018 I was on the precipice of winning (or losing) three major multi-million-dollar deals. The fear of failure was all-consuming. The idea of aborting the mission altogether seemed much easier than facing a loss, but running from failure was worse than losing and so I decided to stay the course. I ended up winning all three of those opportunities, but that was only the smallest step of my journey.

A lot has happened in the last several months since winning my deals. With the fear of failure behind me, I have been able to objectively reflect on my current position and ask myself meaningful questions about who I am, what I believe in, and whether or not I am fulfilling the life that is most aligned with my core being. During my daily LinkedIn perusal, I stumbled across an article you posted regarding your research on Renegades. Reading them was immensely liberating and resonated deeply within me.

As a Renegade yourself, I’m sure you know there are many of us that aren’t even aware of our abilities and don’t even know what we are. Your articles were quite a Disruptor for me. After months of feeling empty, uninspired, and underwhelmed I’ve finally felt like there is a simple fix to a situation I’ve made more complicated than it is. It can be summarized by Alexander Den Heijer, “When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.”

Earlier this year I was asked for guidance from management about how to replicate my success for newcomers. For the life of me, I couldn’t put words to how to be me. And when I did, it seemed rather trivial. “Just care. Authentically, legitimately, sincerely, whole-heartedly care.” That’s when I realized it’s not something you *can* replicate. You either have it or you don’t.

While Renegades excel in any role and always strive for unparalleled expectations and standards of ourselves, many of us are stifled by organizations which follow strict policies and procedures with red-tape abound. In these types of organizations, they don’t trust their own hires. They maintain a closed-door approach where you’re only told what you need to know. Questioning the status quo is forbidden and ultimately reprimanded with more red-tape. This mind-set is intrinsically opposed to how Renegades operate and how they make sense of the world as they see it. We want to know everything before making a decision. We want to understand the why. We want to work smart, not hard. We understand people and what makes them tick. We read tiny details in body language that others miss. We cut through indirect conversation and get to what’s truly at hand. We can talk about bad news without dread and perceive it as an opportunity to learn and grow. We can overcome obstacles without getting frustrated. We have positive personalities that energize and strengthen a team. And we can keep our heads above water even when momentum is gone. Renegades put 120% into their work without needing acknowledgement and that behavior motivates others to behave the same. Renegades understand that respect is earned by actions, not by title. We are leaders who don’t see our team as direct reports, but as colleagues we work with side-by-side in the trenches.

Now that I understand I’m a Renegade, it seems there is opportunity everywhere and the biggest hurdle I have to overcome is myself. What’s most important is that I’ve learned I will do more harm than good if I were take a position for the sake of getting out of the environment I’m in. Thriving is my only objective and the next step I take is pivotal in achieving that goal.

There are so many companies which are in dire need of a disruption. The strengths of Renegades are a perfect fit so long as the company yields trust and faith. Change requires patience, the ability to see all the benefits and consequences of a revolution, and the agility to pivot without getting frazzled. What Executives need to understand is that Renegades have an uncommon ‘genetic’ make-up of not wanting to fail, needing to please others, extreme stubbornness, and achieving results ethically. So much is being considered in the mind of a Renegade and when they make a move it is undoubtedly calculated.

A real-world example of positive disruption is walking away from potential business or ending a relationship with a toxic customer for the benefit of the company and its personnel.

A company is an organic living thing and is as reactive and sensitive as a human being. I’ve seen companies chase business until it exhausted its resources and lost valuable employees because they were too focused on the bottom line. I’ve watched lifelong toxic customers run trains over a company’s support team, killing morale and disrespecting the team members. Management continued to see the problem from only one side and never considered that the customer was perhaps the root of the issue. A Renegade sees these concerns from a holistic approach and can mitigate risk while maintaining healthy, symbiotic relationships between customers, employees, and the company’s bottom line.

The long game is what companies should strive for. Renegades are built to persevere.

About Steve Diedrick...

Steve is the founder of Redmond, a global executive search firm whose clients include world renowned brands and start-ups that are shaping tomorrow's world. As a highly respected authority and pioneer in the field of human capital with close to three decades in the space, his progressive ideas on search-excellence reflect a profound understanding/passion for the global economy and the ever-evolving mindset of the unique talent that propels companies forward. He has personally reached out to more than 100,000 professionals and interviewed over 35,000 potential candidates throughout his career. His personal drive, perspective, discipline and focus is a culmination of his life experience living abroad and the 27 years spent mastering the Martial Art of Qi Gong. His Mantra: There is nothing like direct experience that takes you from knowledge - to knowing.

Email me at: [email protected] or Text me at: 947.222.9200 and let's discuss how Redmond can help you.

? Redmond Research, Inc. 2020