Don’t Blame Me, I’m Not That Guy
If you’re remotely familiar with the 7-Steps to Become an Elegant Leader with Voltage, then you’re aware of the relationship between Ego – Results – Relationships. The biggest reason men and women fail in leadership roles is their ego. Today’s article focuses on the male end of the spectrum in being ‘that guy’. No one wants to be that guy in any endeavor. Even the guy who IS that guy doesn’t want to be known as ‘that guy’. Our fear of being found out is an extremely large dragon conjuring up incredible amounts of anxiety, doubt and discouragement.
I’m very fortunate that I get to sleep under the blanket of security at night provided by Team guys all around the world – and so are you. And, most of you are blithely unaware of operations that continue day-in day-out at any point on any continent today and tomorrow. What I’m sharing with you are insights and commentary from an operator who understands what it’s like to be ‘that guy’ and what it’s like to put your life in the hand of ‘that guy’.
The Purpose of Training
The purpose of the difficult training pipelines members of SOF go through is to separate the weak from the strong – it’s a filtering process. The Cadre want people to quit, because once they eliminate those who don’t really want to be there, they’re left with the final few; the ones who realize quitting is not an option. At your job or in your family, you have the option to quit at any time and many of you do. You quit because, as you see it, your life isn’t at risk here. Here’s why you’re ‘that guy’. Blind to the real consequences of your decisions, your actions.
Once the many are filtered out at BUD/S, the real forging begins – and for some the most painful evolutions begin. By this time, fear no longer exists physically. It manifests itself far greater mentally now. It creates a home in your head.
Sometimes great teachers are only great because they teach you how not to act.