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 example is that I vividly remember, when my oldest son was about 13, seeing the boys at his school untucking their uniform shirts and slouching their way out of school at the end of the school day. I noticed this as I was waiting in my car in a long line of parents cars to pick him up. Of course, I can totally empathise with a teenage boy wanting to loosen up at the end of the day, but what I said to my son was along the lines of “always look smart when you are in school uniform, one of the parents in this line of cars may be someone you sit in front of years later at an interview for a university scholarship”.

This was eerily prescient, as a few years later he was indeed interviewed for a scholarship by one of those parents. Fast forward a decade and my son finished university and has now been progressing his career with that firm for several years. In fact, just the other week I messaged the person who saw him walk out of school shirt tucked in and looking smart, who saw the potential in my son. You see, my son has just received a promotion, so I felt to message to say thank you for all of the support this leader and his firm had given my son over the years.

As I close these thoughts, I also recognise that this “goldfish bowl” environment of always being visible, “on show” is not always easy. In addition, I am someone with high energy and views and opinions in many areas. This means that sometimes I have, consciously or unconsciously, been strong with my presence and views and that has had a negative impact on others and on their impression of me. When all of your actions are, in some way, on the “front page”, this is bound to happen from time to time unless you choose to live a life where everything you do or say is innocuous. One thing I recognised about myself is that this would be inauthentic to me, but I am also aware that this comes with implications. When you are “on the front page”, everyone is free to hold their own opinion of you.

Hmm, many words here from me today, all spurred by a simple and powerful visual. Thank you, Sketchplanations!