Mike 
My last blog on Darth Vader described how easy it is to categorize someone as good or bad. We know that people are complicated and that they defy simple labels, but that often doesn’t stop us from applying the labels.
Darth Vader challenges us to think beyond this. When we first meet him in Star Wars (Episode 4), he is the quintessential, two-dimensional villain. We eventually learn that there is far more to him than first met the eye. In essence, we realize that there is a real person behind the mask, a person with a story who has the capacity for good and for love.
If you’re a leader, this raises an important question: “How can you see behind the masks of the people that you’re leading?” If you stop at the superficial level, it’s easy to think of them in two-dimensional terms. As you get to know more about them, you will understand what makes them tick and you will build a more effective, cohesive, and mission-driven team.
Leaders can take three simple (but not easy) steps to see behind the masks of their team members:
- Ask. The starting point is to ask questions, especially of the people that you work most closely with. Learn about their backgrounds and interests. Seek to understand what motivates, excites, scares, and angers them. You don’t need to do this in one meeting – in fact, it’s counterproductive to try. Instead, make it a goal to learn a little more each time that you’re with your colleagues.
- Care. As you get to know them better, you’ll learn more about the burdens that they are carrying. Be sure to express concern in the moment and down the road. Where possible, look for ways to lighten their load.
- Share. Some people are determined to keep their masks on. They tend to be private, or they’re afraid that they will be rejected if they tell the full story. If you want to truly get to know someone, you must let them get to know you. That means stepping off of whatever pedestal you may be standing on and revealing parts of your own story, including struggles and broken parts of your life.
