"I don't have the time for silly ideas. Fuck me. I need you to execute. Do you understand me?"
Meet Thomas. This is how he speaks to his employees at his startup.
After our first session, we get access to the many voices inside of Thomas, we meet Glum Thomas, who regrets these sorts of impatient outbursts. But Glum Thomas is incapable of stopping Commander Thomas from telling off his employees whenever he feels like it.
After getting to know these voices a bit, we envision a goal for Thomas in our second session. The goal sees Thomas on a yacht, amongst his friends and colleagues, where he feels genuinely grateful, empowered and loved because of his effective leadership style.
When I ask him what is keeping him from living that scenario right this minute, he immediately connects to a pain in his chest. A pain from his childhood self.
He suddenly remembers running upstairs to show his father his latest toy upon which his father brushed him, without so much as looking up from his desk, mumbling at him, "Tom, I am too busy to play. I need to get my work done."
Gritting his teeth, Tom makes an uncomfortable self-discovery. He has become a cliche. He has become his father.
Commander Thomas isn't actually a commander. He's really a wounded, angry child lashing out at little Tom's father. Thomas' father isn't around, but Commander Thomas can deny Thomas' colleagues the consideration and time they deserve.
This epiphany has changed Thomas' perspective on what it meant to be a leader. Now, it's on Thomas to make changes in the day-to-day life of his company. Whenever Commander Thomas would want to lash out, a new voice, Even-Keeled Thomas can take over.
Even-Keeled Thomas can balance the needs of Thomas' inner child and Thomas the adult. Even-keeled Thomas knows 'no reason to not give people love and attention'.
Personally I am looking forward to our next session to see what Even-Keeled Thomas brings about.
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