The Impostor
As his wife was tying the knot of the tie, Enric Marco (Barcelona, 1921) was fully focused in the conversation that was about to take place with Javier Cercas, a respected Spanish writer. He was mentally reviewing his plan of attack. Only the beautiful aroma of Dani and the raindrops tapping on the window could distract him from probably the last opportunity of his life.
Cercas had contacted him several months ago as he
wanted to write a book about his life. Enric was at that time, 2013, already in
his early 90s and still immersed in a long-term depression. He had been so
close to the glory of the heroes to suddenly fall to the solitude of the cursed…
Back in May 2005, Marco was in Mauthausen for the celebration of the 60th
anniversary of the camp liberation. He had been selected to speak during the
event on behalf of the few Spanish camp survivors still alive. However, just two
days before the speech, a newspaper published an article signed by a historian stating
that Enric Marco had never been a prisoner in any concentration camp, a claim
he had made public in interviews, books and public institutions.
Cercas was now the light at the end of that long
tunnel.
………………
As her coffee machine was working on her first
macchiato of the day, she checked the phone to review the upcoming meetings.
“Oh, no”, Jane thought with discontent. Her first
meeting was with John, who wanted to follow up on a past discussion regarding
his personal situation. He was having a hard time at home. “A waste of time to
start the day. We all have problems. Why are people unable to separate personal
and professional lives? What am I supposed to do as a manager? I will send him
to HR. I am too busy for chitchatting”, she concluded as she was sipping the
hot brewage.
She was happy with her new job title. She looked
important and it brought both a better paycheck and a nice job level promotion.
A natural career progression.
………………
The first conversation had been okayish. Cercas had
not asked at all about nazi camps and his “soft” lie but had dug deep into past
episodes of Marco’s life for which he had not prepared a proper story.
To start with, yes it was true that he had been born
on April 12th, 1921 and not on April 14th. He had always
used the 14th in his master classes (hundreds in schools) as this
was the anniversary of the Second Spanish Republic proclamation and therefore,
he could nicely connect this date with his supposed lifetime commitment to
fight for liberties and against the Franco dictatorship.
………………
The leadership role had given Jane many tasks she
had not foreseen when she had accepted it without hesitation six months ago. It
was not just the one on one conversations, it was also the performance
management bit, particularly the calibration, the hiring and search for talent
where she had expected more support, the ideas to engage a demotivated team and
the multiple escalations.
She was mostly concerned by two circumstances.
First, she could not shine anymore through her individual contributions as she
had done throughout her career. Everything was about the ability of her team members
to perform. This required a lot of patience and managing this was extremely
frustrating. Second, as a leader it was quite challenging to engage the group
and build a team. Everybody seemed to be moving in a different direction and at
a different pace. Including herself.
………………
Over the months, Cercas had been marvellously peeling
off Marco’s life onion and observing with awe as lies unveiled with each layer:
Enric’s role in the Republicans army during the Spanish Civil had been overstated,
his “active and leading” clandestine actions in the first years’ of the
dictatorship were actually inexistent, his exile and detention in Germany was actually
a job contract signed in Spain to avoid military service and go to Kiel to work
at a factory, his second wife had not known about his first wife and offspring
for decades…
The real Marco life had not much to do with the life
he had explained and portrayed externally granting him public recognition and
awards. An impostor of unparallel magnitude.
As Cercas was closing the last interview, he asked
Marco: “Where you actually in Mallorca back in 1939 defending the Republicans
as the Francoist forces were taking control of the island”. Marco looked at him
with pitiful eyes. “Please, leave me at least with that one…”
………………
Her doubts were mounting. She was now hesitating
on why she had taken the role and whether she really liked managing people.
“This is a totally different ball game”, she thought.
She had performed with flying colors since she
joined the company ten years back always with great manager and peer reviews.
That was unfortunately not the case now and nobody had to tell her same. Did
she need to try harder/different or was a leading role just not fit for her?
Was she being an impostor leader?
John was waiting for her in the meeting room.
Throughout our career we have all probably encountered
impostors playing leading roles. Probably not as extreme as Marco hopefully! Those
for whom managing people was just a next career progression. This is constantly
a challenge in organizations that want to promote great individual
contributors.
- As
a leader and reflecting on your career progression,
o
How much weight did people vs
promotions have in your decisions?
o
Would you have taken any different
decision if there would have been a better promotion as an individual contributor?
- What
would be your advice to Jane?
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