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“Don’t be afraid to show your
imperfections. It’s why we like real flowers that wilt rather than
plastic flowers that never change.” This is a quote I read recently in a book by
Jason Fried and David Heinemeir Hansson called “Rework: change the
way you work forever”. I would highly recommend it for anyone who
wants to get out of the rut of how they do business and is looking
for some new ways of thinking. I am always disappointed when I visit an
office or sit in a hotel lobby and realise that the plant in the
corner is a fake. They are some really good fakes available now that
can really fool you until you get up close and actually touch them.
When this happens to me I’m always let down. The same is true when I
come across fake people. You know the kind. People who act as though
they are never the cause of a problem or those that present one face
to you at certain times and another when things don’t go their way
or they think they have the upper hand. Fried and Heinemeir Hansson believe you
should show the world what you are really like, warts and all. They
remind us there is beauty in imperfection and that people would
rather deal with someone who is genuine than someone who is overly
polished and professional. The lesson here for leaders is that you
need to show your people the genuine you, not some one dimensional
version that simply represents the company image or the expected
image of your role. If you have trouble doing that can I suggest you
get yourself a real plant and a fake plant for your office to remind
you of the difference. Maybe when people think you are being fake
(or you think someone on your team is) you can point out the
appropriate plant . . .
About the author:
Karen Schmidt is a speaker, workshop
leader and facilitator. Her website is
www.letsgrow.com.au
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Why
Real is Better Than Fake