In July 1994, a teenager working a graveyard shift at a fast-food restaurant was accidentally trapped in a -40ºC freezer by a colleague who unknowingly blocked the safety door with shelves. The teen, unable to move the heavy shelves, was stuck in the freezing cold until eventually rescued, experiencing symptoms of severe hypothermia. After receiving medical care, the teen quit the job.
This could have been a summary of my first job experience.
As I look back on my 30-year-long career, I realize it’s been a wild ride full of unexpected twists and turns. Despite its unconventional nature, I don't regret a thing. Each experience, whether pleasant or not, has been a learning curve. Ascending to leadership roles in recent years has made me value the importance of having a 'truth teller' in my life even more.
A truth teller in your life can take different names - a friend, a therapist, or a sibling. They're the ones who, despite their inherent biases, always strive to offer you the most accurate truth.
At work, the most valuable truth teller is a team member who understands you, your thought process, your values, your priorities, and even your blind spots. They support you when needed, highlighting aspects of a situation that you might have overlooked and providing clarity and precision.
Transparent, honest communication is key to effective collaboration. A game-changing moment for me was when I was confronted about my own behavior, specifically my approach to providing feedback. This was causing feelings of exclusion in the team or a sense that my views were not in sync with previous discussions. The team humorously dubbed this "Andres playing devil's advocate".
Ines Martinez, my truth teller, brought this issue to light. Her candid explanation and clear examples helped me see the effect of my actions, something that I had been oblivious to. This led to introspection, understanding, and eventually, strategies to overcome these patterns.
Truth tellers not only voice the team's perspective but also highlight the impact of your behavior on the team, be it positive or negative.
A couple of months ago we had the chance to meet our teams in a different location. The schedule was packed with meetings, one-on-ones, town halls, and team dinners. During one of these gatherings, I found myself being part of a panel with more senior leaders and discussing the team and the organization. Once again, my truth teller, made me appreciate the gravity of the moment, the audience, and just how far I'd come from those freezing nights spent cleaning freezers. What a gift to have such a clear understanding of the dynamics at play, and being able to provide observations at the right time with surgical precision.
This made me ponder on who I've been a truth teller to. I truly hope I've fulfilled this role for at least a few people.
I'll leave you with a few questions:
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Andrés Richero has over 20 years of experience at the crossroads of Design and Software. He heads a global team of Design and Research professionals for an enterprise software platform. For the past decade, Andrés has focused on Design Leadership, Community Building, and Practice Development. Proudly, he's Uruguay’s top mentor on ADPList.