Sometimes you just have to raise your hand and call BS!

I recently attended a business conference while traveling outside the United States. I was very much looking forward to one keynote speaker. This CEO was VERY well known in the business and leadership space. He had a fast growing, multi-multi-multi-million-dollar company, with MUCHOS employees, a creative culture, massive building, and millions of fans and followers. All the top business publications were talking about him at the time, and he knew it. This notoriety gave him big opportunities and a massive platform to influence other CEO’s.

His talk was amazing! It effectively talked about heart centered leadership, integrity, values and connecting with others stories to inspire and lead them. His talk was short, sweet, concise and to the point, as this was a requirement of the speakers on stage.

I took note after note, intrigued and blown away by the effective simplicity of his message. His message hit me at both the heart level and the boots on the ground level of business. It checked all the boxes of what my company needed at the time to grow and thrive. It was a call out to the things I knew I needed to work on as a leader, and it spoke loud and clear to me.

Being a keynote speaker myself, I always love to meet speakers at events, so I decided to TRY to meet this guy. This man, myth and legend who just killed it on stage. I mean, why wouldn’t I at least try? This guy and his company checked all the boxes of a leader and CEO that I, and many others, aspire to emulate.

As soon as he closed and people began to exit the area, I pushed through the traffic, making my way to the stage with him in my sights. As he was attempting to make a quick exit off stage, I stopped him and stuck out my hand for a shake. Want to know what he did?

He stopped and talked to me! Shook my hand! Asked if I wanted a picture. Signed a copy of his book for me. WOW, what a guy! Okay, so I was a little I star struck, and maybe fanboying a little. Emily called this guy at the time my “business man-crush.”

“Matt, want to go get a drink”, he asked.

“Sure,” I exclaimed. “Where are you thinking?” Wait, did he just ask me to go have drink?!

“I will call my driver and he can take us to this place I know,” he explained.

Was this a dream? Was this really happening? Somebody pinch me, pinch me right now. Please let me know if this is a dream.

And then I woke up. Here comes the pinch!

He then explained…

“This place is for high level guys, CEOs, like me and you. We can go have drinks, do some coke, and bang some hookers. Our wives will never find out because the guy who runs the place runs it for guys like us.”

Full disclosure, I tried coke once in college, never again will I touch that stuff!

I like a little whiskey here and there. In 2016, I was having way too much of it.

Wait! Did he say BANG HOOKERS? Yes, he did. Now, I have never checked that box, nor do I plan to.

My business man-crush just crushed my dreams of going on a business man-date to get to know one of my idols. Needless to say, I did not accept his invitation to go out for a “drink”.

As time progressed, I began to find out a little more about this guy. Turns out that:

• His team members hated him. They were scared to death of him, fearful of losing their jobs. They didn’t say or do anything about it, because the last ones who did were close to bankrupted by this CEO’s attorneys and lawsuits.
• His top line left him little to no bottom line.
• He loved booze, coke, hookers, pills and planes.
• His wife was plotting her escape from their “picture perfect life”.

All the while he graced the stage with his positive and influential prescience, but at the end of the day, this guy is a total fraud. He will get found out, it is just a matter of time.

Easy for me to say. Easy for me to turn my observations about this man into judgement of him. Easy for me to write this blog about him. What is more difficult, yet absolutely required, is to focus on my own growth as a leader, to call myself out, to consider my actions and the receptions of these actions by those I lead and those who look up to me.

Here the challenge I make to myself daily and now I make to you:

As you develop and grow as a leader, it is important you invest in yourself and surround yourself with those who will build you up. It is equally important that you build others up. Pour into others and have others pour into you. In doing so, keep in mind:

• Not everybody is who they seem. Watch who you follow, who you allow to influence you, and what fountain you drink from.
• Be careful of those who talk too much. Make sure they walk the walk that they talk. Great leaders DO more than they SAY.
• What do others say about these leaders when they leave the room? What do others say about you when you leave the room?

Finally, ask yourself, am I the same guy off the stage, off that platform, and out of the spotlight, as I am when I am on it and in it?

If not, call BS, call it fast, call it hard, and call it on yourself before you call it on others. Easier said than done.

Remember, you and I are on a journey, a life, leadership and business journey. We are on it together, and I am right here with you every step of the way. Click here to download lots more free resources and tools to equip you as we continue to take this journey together.

Remember 3 things.

I love you.

I believe in you.

You’ve got this.

Now, Go Get it!

For more free tools on how to grow your business and advance your leadership, click here.