With Halloween approaching, it’s a great time to talk about masks — but not the kind you wear to a holiday party. Those are fun! The masks we’re talking about are those dangerous masks we wear as leaders — masks that cover the true, authentic us and get in the way of being extraordinary. Masks like Perfection, Fear, Martyrdom, Anger, and all those other cover-ups that build walls between us and our employees. And don’t kid yourself: your employees are wearing masks of their own! So let’s figure out how to get real, and transform mass confusion into Mask-Unfusion to reveal our authenticity and build trust — to be Extraordinary Leaders.

Step 1: Identify your masks!

Leadership-masks-dreamstime You can’t do anything about your masks until you know they are there. Our masks can be sneaky, subtle, and insidious. Sometimes our masks wear masks! For example, a mask of Fear can wear a mask of being certain things are done correctly and ensuring we have all the information we need. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with being certain things are done correctly and ensuring we have all the information we need — unless it is grounded in a fear of not being capable of doing the leadership job we have been given.

Practical example: In researching a team building activity we use, we discovered that there have been people who were lost in the desert and died of dehydration, even though they still had water in their canteens! The deduction was that they feared running out of water, so they avoided drinking it, then dehydration set in and the effects left them incapable of making wise choices. They had allowed the mask of fear, masked by a desire to be conservative with resources, to overtake them!

This is why we want to always check ourselves out, to be sure we aren’t wearing any unhealthy masks. You know when you have one on, because it is extremely uncomfortable. If you are feeling out of sync, unhappy, frustrated, scared, angry, or any feeling that is not the feeling of alignment with your Extraordinary nature, then it’s time to evaluate what mask(s) you’re wearing.

Step 2: Use the MASK Formula to transform mass confusion into Mask-Unfusion!
Once you recognize your mask, it’s time to apply the MASK acronym. This is the secret behind turning Mass-Confusion into MASK – Unfusion … the secret to revealing the extraordinary leader you are:

Manage Authentically — Simply Know

Just think about that statement. I know it sounds so simplistic — and yet, it really is the answer to eliminating all the confusion in your life. Here’s how it works.

Whenever you feel a Mask forming — whenever you feel out of sync with the extraordinary leader you are — in that moment, stop!

First, identify the mask you are wearing. Give it a name, because that puts you in control. Some examples of the masks leaders might wear include: Fear of Failure; Insecurity; Intimidation by my Boss; Perfectionism; Fear of Making a Mistake; Egocentrism; Need for Control; Project Failure; Looking Silly; Unworthiness … need we continue? Pretty sure you get the idea!

Next, apply the MASK acronym:

Manage Authentically — Simply Know …

know that you are in charge of your choices;
know that your consciousness is greater than any fear you may encounter;
know that you are extraordinary, and you have everything you need to exhibit the incredible leadership skills that will generate camaraderie, productivity, and engagement among your team!

As you muster the courage to remove your masks and reveal the authentic, real leader you are to your team, you will discover the incredible resources you have among your team, as they, too, begin to move from mass confusion to Mask-Unfusion!

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