Anyone looking at my profile on LinkedIn might be tempted to conclude that I’ve had a long, full and satisfying career. I’ve been a partner at several of the world’s most successful consulting firms. My clients have included many of the world’s most prestigious companies. I’ve had the opportunity to travel throughout the world, working in thirty-five countries on every continent except Antartica. I’ve built great teams, developed a reputation for delivering high-quality and high-impact work, and have lived a generally comfortable life.  So it’s no wonder that someone might conclude that my career has been a successful one.  And they wouldn’t be wrong.

However, LinkedIn doesn’t tell the full story of my professional life. It is an accurate but curated compilation of the high points, major accomplishments, and key milestones. What it doesn’t do is tell the backstory to my career – the challenges, obstacles and setbacks I experienced even as I was accomplishing the things I did. That backstory does more to explain my resilience and eventual success than any of the content on my LinkedIn profile. 

Some folks in my network know some of the details of my backstory. Some clients know some of the backstory because they were sucked into it, not by my choice but by the choice of others. Their anger and outrage, defense and support of me, have been vital in this journey.  And now, at their urging, I’m prepared to finally – and fully – tell my story in the hope that in doing so others might benefit from my experience.