Welcome. This is a safe space. I am one of you.

I have been constantly told I was special.

I have received quite a few participation medals, because, hey, everybody is a winner.

My mum has argued with my teachers about giving me a higher grade.

I have done my fair share of job-hopping. I am dreaming of a four-day workweek.

And I like to wear sneakers at work, just for the sake of it.

There, I said it. I have been called entitled. I have been labeled a slacker. I have been called out on my impatience or on my need for instant gratification. I have been ridiculed for wanting to have a job with purpose and to do tasks that add value. I have been made fun of for being too idealistic. I have been referred to as a product of bad parenting. I have been overqualified but still underpaid. I have been unhappy, anxious, and depressed about my career.

Dear Monsters, I don’t have to tell you this. You know it. You have been there and done that. This is not another blog where somebody will try to explain to the others why we are the way we are. This is not another blog that will try to find excuses for being ourselves. It is a fact that we, the new kids on the block, are a product of the society that others created for us. I do not want to spend any time dwelling on it. It is what it is.

Now, let’s focus on our collective struggle. Let me guess: You were happy living in your bubble at school. And when you joined the workforce, you realized there were different rules. Your managers treated you differently than what you expected. Your colleagues were saying and doing things that didn’t make sense to you. You figured out that everybody is playing a game. Also, you recognized that you don’t know how to play it. No wonder, right? Because there was no User Manual that came with it. There was no FAQ and no support helpline to call. Job satisfaction was nothing you could buy in the app store.

Dear Monsters, welcome to the modern workplace. That was exactly how I felt almost a decade ago when I got my first job. Nothing made sense to me. I had no clue. The only thing I knew from the beginning was that I wanted to make a difference, and for that I had to become a leader. I wanted to lead change and bring about a better future. Of course, I had no idea how to do it. I needed guidance, but I had nobody to turn to. Nobody else that I knew seemed to be able to tell me how I could make an impact.

Books helped me open my eyes and stay connected to people who had achieved extraordinary goals. I started noticing behaviors that resonated particularly well with me, the monster that I was. I started recognizing actions that leaders around me were doing that I wanted to do too. I started writing them down. I had a story for each lesson I learned. That was how I could remember them better. The next step was to implement those lessons in real life. And over and over again.

By practicing the leadership principles over many years, I did it. I managed not only to get access to the boardroom, but to get a seat at the table. I got respect from the baby boom- ers, support from Gen X, allyship with Gen Y, and inspiration from Gen Z.

Was it hard?

Absolutely.

Did I know what I was doing?

Hell no.

Have I reached the final destination of my career journey?

Nope.

Am I some sort of a leadership superhuman?

Nah.

I had to learn all this the hard way, falling flat on my face, for almost a decade. I am writing „Dear Monster“ so that you don’t have to wing it. I want this book to serve as a compass on your journey toward the new version of leadership. The leadership style that the next generation will be comfortable with. The one that will bring positive change to organizations and societies.

„Dear Monsters“ is organized into five chapters that revolve around four key characters. Each character brings you three key lessons about leadership and life that I wish I knew years ago. On this adventure, you will meet:

•             The Good Boss: the expert, the one who guided me into the corporate life, who taught me the basic lessons of trust, integrity, and lifelong learning

•             The Bad Boss: the passionate perfectionist who taught me how to manage myself and others despite adversity

•             The Boss Lady: the role model who taught me the value of personal branding, the real meaning of renewal and inclusive leadership

•             The Big Boss: the CEO who taught me hard-core lead- ership lessons about simplification, storytelling, and authenticity

Dear Monsters, I am bringing you this blog because I believe that our generation has to redefine the meaning of leadership. Our generation has the responsibility and the privilege to create a world of purposeful jobs, fair and equal opportunities, and sustainable development. Our generation has every imaginable resource at its disposal to create mean- ingful roles through automation and artificial intelligence. We don’t need to be convinced that change is necessary. We know it.

We appreciate the benefits that a safety net provides when it comes to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We under- stand that we must take responsibility for the environment and preserve it for future generations. We want to foster innovation, keeping our ethical principles at the forefront. The world needs a new generation of leaders that can make this possible. And we are ready to become those leaders.

Please note that I used the word leaders—not CEOs,  or Partners, Chairmen and Chairwomen, or SVPs. The world doesn’t need titles, but people who can make change happen.

You are one of those who can make great things happen. You believe in this better future—otherwise you wouldn’t have been peeking into this blog.

This blog is not a how-to manual for people managers. I won’t explain how to conduct a performance review with your direct reports or how to hold them accountable for results. I won’t be able to tell you exactly what you need to do to become a C-suite executive. There are way bigger experts than I in these areas, so I would like to stick to what I know best. I know how to shift your mindset in next-level leadership mode. It will tell you which behaviors you need to emphasize to be seen as a leader in the true sense of the word. This book is not about some magic leadership hocus-pocus that will immediately launch you into professional heaven.

I am giving you stories based on my career (disguised enough so no one will sue me) that will help you make the right decisions when you need to. No matter how it may sound, this book is not about me. It is about you—the monsters. For this reason, I will challenge you and will expect you to challenge yourselves.

You are one of those who can make great things happen.

The first part of our journey together is about self- discovery. The second part of it is about sharing your growth trajectory with other monsters. It is about creating accountability, commitment and engagement, because we all have skin in the game. Feel free to share your takeaways and start meaningful conversations with likeminded individuals that will help us redefine leadership in the new age. You are not alone.

As English author Neil Gaiman said, “Life will always be stranger than fiction. Because fiction needs to make sense, but life doesn’t.” I have given my very best to make sense out of my chaotic, illogical, unconnected life experiences and bring you the teachings. Each one of the leadership paradigms in this book contains stories. With every story I give away one part of me to you. I am taking you on a ride through time because I trust you with my perspective. I trust you will use it for your benefit. I trust you to use it for our benefit.

No pressure.