Member-only story
How would you live if your life was always on the front page?
This gem of an image from Sketchplanations really resonates with me, as I’ve been living the “front-page test” in my life now for thirty years, going beyond decision-making to everything I do and every interaction, no matter how seemingly inconsequential.
You see, in 1991, at only 25 years old, I left the anonymity of a relatively junior role in public accounting, leaping into the role of Financial Controller of the national airline of the Cayman Islands, Cayman Airways. At that time, the population of Cayman was well under 40,000 people and Cayman Airways was the largest private-sector employer, with over 400 staff. It was also hugely visible, as it was government-owned and frequently a “political football” and on the front page of the one national newspaper.
I suddenly found myself hugely visible, feeling “on-show” whenever I went out in public, with people knowing my role and so always stopping me to talk to me about the latest goings-on around Cayman Airways, including, of course, their financial situation.
This had me learn very, very quickly the importance of how I presented myself at all times whenever I left my house, as well as what I communicated and how I communicated. This remains with me to this day and is something I consciously passed on to my sons as they grew up. One…
