Who am I: Zeus or Atlas?
We are all individuals. We have our history. We learned during our career what works for us and what is not part of our personality. We have seen people who have been promoted far beyond their potential and skills, and we met those who could do more.
Some of our ancestors have been wise people. They tried hard to understand the world around them and us. They investigated successful and not so successful habits. They defined the rules of the game, and the rules changed over time. The Greek mythology is full of great stories about power and hierarchy. We will find more and other examples in other cultures.
Zeus was obviously the CEO of the universe. But even his power was not unlimited. He had to accept his fate. The goddess of fate was superior, representing his Board of Directors. However, powerful as he was, he could be harsh in his measures, throwing flashes, condemning people, demigods, gods…
Atlas was condemned and punished by Zeus to carry the globe (and there are quite some versions of the story available). Even it was not his chosen fate, he carried the globe, and while carrying the globe, he served the planet.
Some managers serve the organization, other managers expect the organization to serve them. Both can be successful, and both can be toxic. To understand your preferred patters will be relevant to understand how you manage and what you expect from others. What type of leadership do you prefer?
