The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner

The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner

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The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner
The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner
You weren’t created to lead alone.
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You weren’t created to lead alone.

Serve your team. Be generous. Practice curious vulnerability.

Jeffrey L. Tanner's avatar
Jeffrey L. Tanner
Apr 01, 2022
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The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner
The Formation Digest with J.L. Tanner
You weren’t created to lead alone.
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There’s a book that sits on one of my shelves. I don’t remember where I got it. My guess is that it was assigned reading for a business or leadership class in college. Or maybe it was from my student government days. Regardless, I didn’t get the point at the time because I wasn’t in a position to really feel it. The book’s title? *The Lonely Whine of the Top Dog*

Now that I’ve experienced executive leadership and coached other CEOs as well, I feel it. Deeply. Leadership is lonely. “Top” leadership is the worst. We’ve created a culture of leadership that elevates us into impossible perceived perfection and isolates us through parasocial relationships. 99% of leaders don’t have a place where they can be real with others, and it’s hard to be real with yourself if others mandate alignment with impossibly high standards.

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