My first blog here was about doing your own dirty work. I was talking to a colleague recently and we agreed that everyone seems to have too much stuff. So many things that at the time we need but really, over time, they just seem to fill the house up without purpose. Our stuff.

Then there is the other sort of stuff that we deliberately don’t use. The china cabinet full of the crockery that is just too good to use. Probably it didn’t start out that way – we wanted a good set for those special occasions – but over time it’s got pretty well stuck in the cabinet to look at, but not touch. Imagine if it got damaged!

Is that like us? Do we have a shield around a perfect image that cannot be explored for risk of breakage? What is so important about the image? Is it more important than knowing the real, authentic person? Should we risk exposing ourselves to a little breakage to allow people to get to know us properly?

Do we go through our leadership journey more concerned with image than with reality? Why?

None of us is a perfect image. There are cracks, imperfections, but in amongst the grittiness and rough edges is the real leader – the leader that those around us can relate to – and join in the journey knowing that real hands will draw the team together.