I have talked about Identity in Leadership in the Past.
As a Leader, it is incredibly Important to Understand both your own Identities and the Identities of those we Lead.
Yes "Identities" is Purposefully Plural.
We all carry different types of Identities.
Some are Great and Help Us, and others Do Not.
Quite literally, We "All" Wear Masks.
Now, Masks are not Inherently Good or Bad.
In some Cultures, Masks are used as a way to Embody and Focus on specific Aspects, Qualities, or Traits.
These types of Masks are often used to Accentuate Positive Things.
For instance, a Lion Mask may be used to Focus someone on a Lion's Strength and Powerful Roar as a way to Embody a Booming Voice.
In other Cultures, Masks are used as a way to Hide Aspects, Qualities, or Traits that people want to keep Hidden.
Classically this happens with figures who break the "Rules" and Do Not want Others to Know their Identity.
Whether they are a Thief for Good or Ill, or even a Superhero.
This Hiding Mask is also seen in figures like the Phantom of the Opera who Uses the Mask to Hide their Disfiguration.
In Leadership, we often find both of these types of Masks.
There have been many Leaders who "Put on a Mask", while committing Terrible Crimes.
It is often stated by others that, "They would Never have guessed that about that Leader."
Other, More Positive, Leaders may typically have a Quiet Demeanor...
Until they Stand in Front of a Meeting, or get on Stage, and Suddenly, they Captivate a Room with a Powerful and Commanding Presence.
Both of these types of Leaders are wearing Masks to Different Effects.
As I said, Everyone Wears Masks, for Good and Bad Reasons.
However, there is something Important that All Leaders need to Understand about Masks.
No Matter What Mask you put on, they will "Never" be able to Hide the Truth for Long.
What is the Truth?
Whatever is "Under" the Mask.
No Mask we could Ever Put On Will Ever be Powerful Enough to Prevent Others from "Eventually" Discovering the Truth.
Why is this?
The Mask is Never "Truly" Us.
In some cases, it may Accentuate a Strength we Have, or it may Prevent Others from Seeing Something.
But it is "Always" Temporary.
The Masks "Eventually" Fall Off, and the "Truth" will Show Through.
For instance, if you Put on a Mask of "Confidence" but are not "Confident" under the Mask, it will be seen by others.
Or if you believe you can "Twist" the Truth to get a Different Result, it may work for a bit, but eventually, people will see through it.
This is a Large Part of the Reason that the Average "Lifespan" of a CEO is Tragically Low.
The CEO will put on a "Mask" to Hide that they Do Not Know "Why" their Organization is Failing, and eventually, Investors or other Stakeholders begin to see "Through" the Mask.
So, if you are a Leader, the Key to Success is to not "Rely" on the Mask to Succeed.
People Do Not Follow Masks.
The Best Leaders "Are" Great Leaders, and the Masks they put on Accentuate that.
This is what is called being an "Exemplar".
As an Exemplar, you begin to Know and Understand your Strengths and Weaknesses, and you pick Masks that play to your Strengths.
For Instance, Many New Leaders do discover that they Do Not have Confidence in a Situation.
This is Completely Normal because "Confidence" comes with "Experience", which New Leaders simply Haven't Gotten Yet.
If this New Leader tries to use a "Confidence" Mask, other people will begin to see through it and they will Ironically "Lose Confidence" in that Leader.
But perhaps this New Leader has a Strength that they Deeply Care about Helping Others get Successful Results.
So, maybe this New Leader starts with a "Mask" of Honesty, admitting that they are still working on Gaining Confidence in their New Role (aka are Authentic)...
Then they Switch to the "Mask" of Being Earnestly Helpful Toward Successful Results, and speak with their Team asking about How they Can help Individuals Succeed.
Often, this Leader will get Significantly Better Results Faster through using the Masks that Accentuate who they already "Are", and Ironically they gain Confidence Faster than the previously mentioned Leader with "Faked" Confidence.
The Mask does not make the Leader.
The Leader either "Is" something, or "Isn't".
For Leaders to Succeed at the Highest Levels, they Must "Become" what they Seek to Be.