Who are you when the room is watching, and how close is that to who you are when the room is empty? We brought together a panel that has operated under pressure in both public and private settings and has had to adjust their personas to match the responsibility.
This Week’s Panel
– Matt Barnett — Founder, Bonetti Explosives (TX), bringing an entrepreneur’s perspective on authenticity and risk.
– Gordon “Gordo” Hurley — Canadian SOF veteran and creative director, offering insights on vulnerability and being true to oneself.
– Eric Tung — Washington State Police Commander, host of Blue Grit Radio, sharing leadership lessons on adapting your persona to be effective.
Key Insights from Our “The Persona” Discussion
1. Outer shell vs. actual self
Matt kicked things off by defining the persona as the “outer shell” versus “what you really are.” He argued that our lifelong work is to shrink that gap. The persona becomes unstable when it’s just a hollow shell, full of inauthenticity; true strength comes from projecting a persona that is a solid, authentic reflection of your core self.
2. Different Personas for Different Stages
Gordo made the crucial point that it’s okay – and necessary – to adopt different personas for different contexts. The way you talk to a government minister is different from how you speak to a detainee. The point evolved into the need to metabolize our past personas into a single, core self, allowing us to adapt our presentation without losing our authenticity.
3. You Can’t Be Everything All the Time
Eric shared his experience of having to shed his “hands-on K9 operator” persona to grow into a new role as an administrator and leader. It’s a challenging but necessary part of evolution. To grow, you must permit yourself to stop being good at the last job so that you can become capable at the next one.
4. The “Cheese Grater” Effect of a Worthy Goal
Matt offered a powerful analogy for finding your true self. When you set a quiet, personal goal that you genuinely want – not one your mom or society wants for you – and you go after it, life brings out the “cheese grater.” The challenges and friction of the pursuit carve away the inauthentic fluff, revealing the person you need to become to achieve that goal. What remains is usable character.
5. Audience, Cast, or Self – Who is This Act For?
We asked the fundamental performance question – who is this for? If the persona is built for applause, it will drift. If it’s built for mission and outcomes, it holds up under friction.
6. The Influence of Your “Yodas”
Our personas are not built in a vacuum. We discussed the impact of our heroes and mentors – the “Yodas” in our lives. As Matt explained, we subconsciously pick up traits from those we admire. This highlights the importance of choosing our influences wisely, as they will inevitably shape the character we become.
7. The Scoundrel with a Good Heart
We explored the archetype of the “scoundrel” – like Han Solo – a character who bends the rules but ultimately serves a good cause. This persona represents the balance between rebellious independence and a commitment to the team. It is a character forged in action who learns, through trial and error, that the mission is bigger than self-interest.
8. Closing the Gap is a Practical Loop
The path to an authentic persona isn’t a single event but a continuous cycle. We discussed the practical loop for closing the gap: Set a private standard for yourself, pressure-test that standard in a public setting, get honest feedback from people who know your actual work, and then use that feedback to update your behaviours, not just your slogans. Then, repeat the process.
Final Thought: An Authentic Persona is an Earned Reflection
The persona is not a mask to hide behind, but a tool to engage with the world. The journey is not about creating a perfect, flawless character, but about having the courage to be yourself, the discipline to do the work, and the wisdom to know that the most powerful persona is an honest, earned reflection of who you truly are.
What persona are you wearing, and is it serving you?
Listen to the full “The Persona” discussion here: The Persona
Keep building the real,
Shaun & The Collective Crew
