I found it disheartening to read that "adopting a facade is a common tactic for people grappling with the Sacrifice Syndrome" (pg. 46). Even though I know this is true and I have seen it happen, I still find it hard to acknowledge. Authentic leadership is about transparency. It is about being true to yourself and leading with a compass guided by a core set of values. If you are constantly pretending all is well, when it is not, it will catch up with you sooner rather than later and the facade will come crumbling down. On pg. 60, Boyatzis and McKee discuss how success overshadows values and how it is not uncommon to find that one day we are not ourselves anymore. This saddens me as I think it is nearly impossible to lead with conviction if you are not true to yourself and what you believe.
I was also struck by how true it is that major life events often force you to critically analyze and reflect. It takes something major to change your outlook and to push you toward a new path. I did find it powerful to reflect on my life via Exercise #4 and to identify a common rhythm. If we are aware of this rhythm and can proactively address dissonance when it naturally occurs, perhaps stress would not have as great an impact as it usually does on our physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
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