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Get Real. It’s Better for Everyone.

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For my last several years in uniform I repeatedly heard, “You don’t act like a colonel.”  You can read that any number of ways, and the speaker would realize it, typically following up on the assertion with, “No, no, that’s a GOOD thing.”  I always took it as a compliment in any case.  For my 29 years in uniform, I identified two types of more senior individuals: those whose identity is tied to their position and those whose identity is grounded in who they are as people.  I was uncomfortable with the former group and tended to go the extra mile for the latter group, so I decided that I would do my best to remain me.  Not everyone makes that choice or is even aware of the choice.

We’ve all seen it: a person is selected for a leadership position or promotion and overnight he or she changes into someone unrecognizable.  These individuals seemingly take on a new persona, a manifestation of how they think someone in that rank or position should be.  Perhaps they feel unprepared or unqualified for their new status, so they “fake it till they feel it.”  The mask they don can become a comforting crutch or alternate personality that they simply can’t function without. 

The crux of the problem is that a person cannot lead effectively while wearing a mask because the mask is a lie.  Real leadership is based on relationships.  Healthy relationships are founded on trust and respect, which can’t happen if either party is less than honest.  Sure, you can have a transactional relationship, but in such an arrangement one or both parties are hold back and bringing less than their best. Yes, you can tell people what to do, but that’s not leadership, that’s dictatorship.  In a dictatorship, people will do what they are told, no more and typically no less.  People being dictated to obey the letter of the law but tend to keep their ideas and concerns to themselves and certainly lack loyalty.  Meaningful loyalty is a two-way street.  Dictators are a dime a dozen, lamented by their teams, and quickly forgotten.

Leaders of distinction recognize the importance of being authentic and vulnerable because it’s the first step toward building a trust-based relationship.  Being authentic and vulnerable isn’t about expressing every concern, fear, or inappropriate personal detail; it’s about maintaining your humanity and working to build relationships based on trust and shared commitment to a purpose.  It’s about admitting mistakes when everyone knows you’ve made them and then working to make amends.  Real leaders are not easily forgotten because they are so uncommon.  Choose to be an uncommonly good leader.

Authored By: Jason Lamb, Managing Director

Jason Lamb

Jason is the United States Space Force's Talent Strategist. In this role, he is actively involved in crafting and executing the United States Space Force’s human capital strategy and plans. A nationally recognized thought leader in leadership and talent management, he advises Space Force senior leadership on how best to acquire, develop, engage, assess, promote, and employ its military and civilian members. Prior to his current position, Jason served over 25 years in the Air Force as an intelligence officer and retired in the rank of Colonel.

In uniform, Jason served with distinction in a variety of intelligence, staff, and command assignments in deployed combat environments, geographically dispersed organizations across the globe, and in the United States. As an intelligence group commander, he led over 650 personnel in eight units spread across four continents supporting everything from national decision making to time-sensitive tactical operations.  Jason has deployed in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, IRAQI FREEDOM, and ENDURING FREEDOM. During his career, Jason was recognized as the Air Force’s Intelligence Officer of the Year, graduated number one from his Air War College class, was awarded the Bronze Star in Afghanistan, and twice awarded the prestigious Legion of Merit.

While those accomplishments are noteworthy, he is perhaps best known for leading a significant culture shift in the Air Force and across the Department of Defense beginning with a series of articles he published under the pseudonym “Col Ned Stark.”  In those articles, Jason highlighted significant organizational culture and leadership alignment issues, provided root cause analysis, and offered innovative solutions resulting in the Chief of Staff of the Air Force offering him a senior position on his staff.  To the surprise of many, Jason chose to end his fast-track career and retire instead so that he could coach and engage with broader audiences.  The Space Force reached out to Jason to architect an innovative new approach toward talent management and leadership development that would ensure the long-term alignment of the newest armed service’s mission and values.  The result was The Guardian Ideal, described by the Chief of Space Operations as the single most important accomplishment of the Space Force to date.

Jason understands how to create and develop high-performing teams of teams.  He knows how to uncover organizational misalignment and dysfunction to craft tailored solutions that improve workforce retention and performance.  Jason is a proven leader and solver of wicked and complex problems.

Jason graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in International Relations with a minor in Japanese.  He holds four advanced degrees in organizational management, national security policy, and strategy.  Additionally, Jason is an International Coaching Federation-certified professional coach with an additional certification as an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner.  He resides in Colorado with his wife and daughter.

Victory Strategies is a Veteran Owned Business.