Guard Your Six

It is a little bit of military jargon I picked up doing boot camp with a bunch of vets.

Guard your six.

Watch your blind side.

CYA.

Whatever you choose to call it, every one of us needs someone to mind that parts of our life that we cannot see. For those who are married, perhaps that is our spouse. If you are part of a peer group or faith community, the opportunity to have a six guard (and be one) are boundless.

But so often we try to go it alone.

I spend the first two decades of adulthood trying to do it alone. I was good enough, in my own head, to think that I could mind it all and keep growing and building. I didn’t want anyone to see anything weak about me, including admitting that I had a blindside.

In case it needs to be said: Nobody is perfect. Everybody has a blind side.

In business, you need someone who is tasked with watching your six. It doesn’t matter who you are. Just starting out? Get a mentor that minds it. CEO? Find a peer outside of the org. and cover each other. Never ever ever make a decision about the direction of your life, family, business without checking your blindside (that means talk it out with that person.)

CTA: CYA with a real human and make sure the humans you have on your team do the same.

Are You Milking the Bad?

Be honest, we have all done it. Everything is fine. It is a regular day, nothing remarkable.Then BHAM!

You get stung by a bee.
Your best employee quits.
You fire your toxic high performer.
Your quarterly numbers come in and they're down.

Five whole minutes. Yet you use it to color the rest of the day. You walk around all sullen and downtrodden. Everyone hides, not wanting to see you.
Not wanting to receive your mood. You let those five minutes ruin your day.

It is likely not the first time. We all fall into the trap. We let one bad encounter color the entire day. But as leaders, we have to be better. When we allow our entire day to be influenced by bad, those we lead will be afraid AFRAID to be open.
It is ok to be upset, to discuss the disappointment, and to give it the space we need to assess and move on.

It is NOT ok to let five minutes of bad ruin the day for everyone.

This is why you need a blind side guard (see above).
This is why you need a peer level confidant.
This is why you need a badass fractional general counsel and strategic advisor.

Because we assess and address and move on. Our teams are not only not afraid to approach us, they are eager to.

Do not let the bad encounter ruin an otherwise good day.

Graphic of the week

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