Who's Got Your Six

Believe it or not, that is a picture of me. What feels like a lifetime ago, I once was a federal agent. After you digest that fact, look again at the picture and I want you to take notice of the agent standing behind me. His name is Javier Barrera, a fellow agent and on that day, my trusted partner. In a high risk environment, it's standard to have a partner covering your six. A fellow agent, officer, soldier or operator to watch your back. But here's the thing, having a trusted partner is not exclusive to high risk outfits. As I transitioned into corporate life, it became abundantly clear that to succeed I needed to have someone covering my six. 

While slightly different in practice, the principle holds true. Javier was there to ensure that if things went sideways I wasn't on my own. Clearly, there was a spectrum of possibilities that could transpire, the worst of which was a potential life and death incident. It would be hyperbole to suggest that corporate life is on the same level because it's not. However, corporate life is not without challenge. Corporate life is not a go-it-alone environment. Corporate life is not absent of need for a trusted partner. Corporate life requires someone to have your six.

It's no secret that I have changed jobs several times. And as I look back across my many roles, I can pin point each and every trusted partner I had along the way. And here's how I know I could trust them - despite in some cases a decade or more having eclipsed, I'm still in contact and still feel comfortable leaning on them for support. It's these people for whom my success is attributed. Pitfalls and missteps are par for the course, but without someone watching your six they can often be far more detrimental to you and the company. 

Our trusted partners are not a one way street of support. The word 'partner' inherently suggests that this is a mutual relationship - I've got you and you've got me. I think it's important to note, that this dynamic is not always equal, but that's okay. I'm not suggesting that this imbalance rises to the degree of a "taker", as outlined by Adam Grant in "Give and Take". He suggests that people fall into three buckets - Givers, Takers, and Matchers.

1. Givers - focus on contributing to others, they prioritized contributing value to others, not claiming value from others
2. Takers - largely seeking out what is within their own interests
3. Matchers - reciprocity, mutual give and take

What I am suggesting is that relationships will naturally evolve into dynamics that highlight and thus lean on one another's strengths. When fording into the unknown, it’s comforting to know that someone who has wade similar waters before you has your back, and no two waters are the same, which gives rise to the evolving dynamics of the relationship. Your unknown may be someone else's familiar path, and vice versa.

When I think back to my days 'holding the line', I can't imagine showing up alone. Whether I was in the driver-seat or riding shotgun, both my partner and I knew our role and what was required to support one another. This unspoken set or responsibilities resulted from hours of training and time spent with one another. No matter what we were each facing outside of work, when we put on the uniform, it was game-time. I didn't need to explain to Javier what I need from him, nor did he to I. Similarly, when I show up to work these days, I know that there are folks that rely on me to keep an eye out for them - be it there work, personal conflicts or the like - and they do the same for me. It is this shared respect and trust that leads to high functioning relationships, teams and ultimately organizations. 

Think about it. When you look at our nation's armed forces, they operate at a level that generally far exceeds that of most corporate environments. Don't believe me, look at the vast number of former high ranking military brass that have went on to write books related to high functioning teams, organizational success and leadership (a few that come to mind - Adm. Bill McRaven, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, Lt. Commander Jocko Willink, Adm. James Stravridis). Don't get it twisted, our military culture is not without fault and I am not at all advocating to structure workplaces to be a para-military outfit. What I am arguing is that for success to arise, trust is the critical component. Mutually shared trust results in true partnerships. A partnership, that when wondering off into the unknown feels safe because you know nothing is coming up from behind because your partner has your six. 

Reflecting on my career, these are some of the folks who have looked out for me, and I would hope they would say the same about me...

Jason Mueller - My first real rolldog. appreciate you 

Timothy Gable - He doesn't know it but he has helped me grow in so many ways. He's opened my eyes to a bigger way of thinking. Tim Gable is my substitute to a advanced degree

Lauren Muldoon - Despite what she thinks, I haven't offered up nearly as much to her as she has to me. Our partnership has helped me grow as a human.

Gianni Galante - Your presence gave me assurance that I could lead and deliver. I never felt like I was your boss, rather I always saw you as my peer. 

My current powerhouse of support - Leslie McGarrah , Jenna Sullivan - I show up to work, knowing that I can be successful because I've got these two amazing partners for whom I trust implicitly. 

Even on my most off days, I can still show up to work and know that regardless of what comes at me, I've got people keeping an eye on my six. I hope these same people know and trust that I also have their's.