Are you a loyal freebooter? Before you can say yes to that, you should know what I mean.
I guess: no. You don't know. I'll explain it to you. Maybe you recognize yourself in it.
A loyal freebooter is – I think – a desirable position. Also a word to remember: desirable.
Good. A loyal freebooter is a manager or a team leader or a vice president who is loyal to the organization and yet does not develop a symbiosis with that organization. His or her survival does not depend on the organization, and he or she knows that. And acts accordingly. The mind of the loyal freebooter is open. Free and loyal.
A loyal buccaneer has no sticky office chair. No Stockholm syndrome. No entrenched position. The professional life of the loyal buccaneer is far from static.
This allows the loyal freebooter to continually look at his own organization with a fresh perspective. Loyal, but at the same time critical.
Free is better than stuck.
How can you ensure that you remain a loyal privateer?
To more or less answer that question, I have made a small checklist. I use it to help my mentees – among other things – with this.
The first and most important question I ask them is this:
What does the organization expect from you?
What expectations does the organization have of you: it is obvious to ask yourself that, and yet not. Do they see your ambitions? Are they aware of your goal and do your unique ambitions fit into the organization's plans?
Suppose your ambition is to be the future CEO. Within 5 years. It is up to you – and no one else – to be completely transparent about this. A 'no' is perfectly acceptable to the loyal maverick.
If it is the case that the current CEO or the board sees you as the new CEO, then you are still not there. So do not settle for positive feedback.
Actions must match words. You must be involved in the management of the highest level in a timely manner. And – no matter how good you are – you need additional training.
How does the organization guide you to the desired position? What investments are they prepared to make for that? And how far are you willing to go yourself? I strongly recommend that you get mentored. By me, that goes without saying. Because I am unbeatable.
Another question that comes to mind: can you estimate how serious the board is in the 'yes'. Anyway: the big question that everyone with ambitions should ask themselves, that is the following:
Where do I want to be in 5 years… What do I need to do to get there… At which organization will I make my ambitions come true…
By the way, there's one more very important thing I want to say about this, and that is this: You can't get where you want without a rock-solid reputation.
That's why you have to perform. You have to keep your promises. You have to be reliable. Ethical and fair. Your reputation travels before you.
Hans Ruinemans, boardroom monk