What Do Michael Jackson, Self Management and Leadership Have In Common?

Visibility....And its effects. Desired. And not Desired.

Because of unprecedented talent in his industry, Michael Jackson's private life became fodder for the media, the public wanted to know more - like a feeding frenzy of a school of fish on a piece of meat.Did problems in his private life cause spillage into his public life or did his public life and lack of privacy cause him personal problems? No one but Michael Jackson can answer this question. All we have are stories and interpretations. The media coverage goes on and probably will for years.

Once you assume a leadership position you have a certain visibility you didn't before. Others now look to you and at you differently. You are now privy to certain information and others have a heightened sense of awareness of your every move - It's like dating. Seemingly inconsequential things take on greater scrutiny by your audience. A senior vice president at a Fortune 50 company once told me he mentioned something in passing like, "wouldn't it be nice if..." and then discovered weeks later he had unknowingly "kicked off" multiple streams of work to investigate this "what if," setting back timelines on other key deliverables.It becomes more important to consider the impact you want to have on your constituents and authentically manage yourself accordingly.

Suddenly having lunch with your longtime friend Joe in the company cafeteria now spurs a different kind of conjecture about what Joe is working on with you.