To what extent do you play a persona to fit in? It was second nature for adoptee Ted and something he did to extremes. And it brought success in the world. It became so core to the way he navigated life that he was oblivious to it, until he wasn't. Listen in as we talk authenticity, epiphanies and more...
To what extent do you play a persona to fit in? It was second nature for adoptee Ted and something he did to extremes. And it brought success in the world. It became so core to the way he navigated life that he was oblivious to it, until he wasn't. Listen in as we talk authenticity, epiphanies and more...
Here's a bit about Ted from his website
"I was adopted. My place in the family was conditional from the start. I was parked with strangers off and on for years. I developed a deep passivity as a way to survive — hiding my real nature, curling into that little ball of shame that was always there when someone wanted to bully me. I became an expert at reading rooms, sensing when things were off, staying quiet when speaking up felt dangerous.
Those instincts, once liabilities, became the core of my practice. I know what freeze looks like from the inside. I know the difference between a person who's disengaged and one who's just afraid to speak. And I know — because I lived through it — that the passive behavior learned in unsafe environments doesn't stay in childhood. It follows people into conference rooms, client meetings, and conversations with their own teams for the rest of their lives.
Age as an assetI turned eighty recently, and I say that with genuine pride. I've watched the same cycles repeat across decades. Challenges that feel unprecedented usually follow familiar patterns. I've also learned what doesn't matter. I no longer chase growth for its own sake. I focus on a small number of engagements where I can have real impact — and I still have the energy for it. I can outrun my teenage grandsons."