The Leadership Mask Most Leaders Don’t Know They’re Wearing
Most leaders think they know who they are. But what if the version of yourself you lead with every day wasn’t built through leadership at all? What if it was built through coping? In this episode of The Leadership Cheat Code, B. Vaughan explores one of the most overlooked realities in leadership: mask behavior. The tendency to become more guarded, controlling, overly accommodating, emotionally detached, or performative as a way of managing pressure, disappointment, conflict, and responsibility. Over time, those coping mechanisms can start feeling normal—and eventually become the version of yourself everyone experiences.You'll learn why self-awareness is one of the most important leadership skills, how coping mechanisms can be mistaken for personality traits, the difference between emotional control and emotional suppression, and how leaders unintentionally create unhealthy environments when they fail to process their emotions. If you've ever wondered whether you're leading intentionally or simply reacting from old frustrations, disappointments, and habits, this conversation may challenge how you see yourself—and how you lead.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it.This Substack is reader-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to The Leadership Cheat Code at theleadershipcheatcode.substack.com/subscribe
