Arriving at the Crossroad-August 2012

This time of year my wife and I are always looking for new routes to and from the Jersey shore that have the least traffic. Over the years we have experimented with our departure time but have yet to find the right window that works on a regular basis. I have a low threshold for sitting in traffic; and when it occurs, the drive can be agonizing for both of us. Recently, I took a friends suggestion to try a "back roads" route home on a Sunday night. We were progressing nicely through the woods and eventually came to a crossroad. I wasn't quite sure where I was, and my male pride wouldn't let me use the GPS on my phone so I made a decision to turn right. After traveling 20 miles out of our way it became evident I took the wrong route. We eventually made it home 30 minutes later than we would have had I taken the road to the left. Had I demonstrated some patience and humility and objectively considered the information at my disposal, I likely would have made a different decision. My experience reminded me of a former co-worker who was eager to climb the corporate ladder at any cost. He was, by nature, a decent guy who was a people oriented manager and wanted to do the right thing for the organization. But his desire for more status, more money, and more power caused him to change into someone very different. He believed that in order to reflect the appropriatepersona of an executive he had to bully others, deflect blame, and always posture things as his idea. He wanted authority with no accountability, which never works for very long. Ultimately, he was deemed unfit to continue in his role after alienating his staff and his peers and was asked to leave the organization. He has struggled reclaim a management role in another company that allows him to return to the financial level and status he grew accustomed to. Like my trip back from the shore, he made a decision at the crossroad that proved to be one driven by all the wrong reasons. Despite being told he was headed down the wrong road, hecontinued in that direction until he became truly lost. I am fortunate to interact with many highly skilled and intelligent workers at the client companies I serve. Some of those workershave discussed their leadership aspirations with me and asked for my suggestions on their respective career paths. Many are at the crossroad of deciding whether to change roles, ask for more responsibility, or stay in their current job and gain more experience. It's a difficult decision for many of these future leaders as they struggle to balance their career aspirations with the reality of a lack of readiness for the next level of responsibility. The majority of these individuals are Generation Y'ers who have been raised by baby boomer parents like me and told they can do or be anything they choose. They are confident and ambitious, yet many have been in the workplace a very short time. My advice to them is pretty simple; make the effort to learn from those around you and treat your direct reports and co-workers as you want to be treated. Most important, stay true to who you really are. Follow the rules and understand the culture of the company but don't let your core values becompromised for the sake of advancement. My co-worker's experience is proof that changing yourself to fit someone else's image is not a long term strategy for success. My hope for these future leaders is that there is a one-way sign at their crossroad that keeps them on the right path.