Are you an authentic leader? Are you authentic to yourself? I used to think I was authentic but I was in denial. I did not understand my purpose well and how it aligned with my corporate position and I did not truly connect with many of the people in my prior corporate organization. It took some big steps (leaping from the corporate world was one of the biggest) to align my authenticity and I continue to work on it.
Authenticity is not static; it is an ongoing process of alignment, connections, and self discipline. You may be inauthentic about your own authenticity and not even know it. It is most obvious to everyone else when authenticity is missing. Think of that smooth executive that is very polished and articulate who is disconnected from the organization and is meticulous about crunching the numbers. She doesn’t feel real and your trust goes out the window.
Bill George, former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic, Inc, wrote a great book on this topic: Authentic Leadership, Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value. He explains that authentic leaders demonstrate five qualities:
- Understanding their purpose
- Practicing solid values
- Leading with heart
- Establishing connected relationships
- Demonstrating self-discipline
Think about a great leader you have had the pleasure to work with; did they demonstrate all or some of these qualities? Consider leaders who have changed the world, like Dr. Martin Luther King. His purpose was very clear and all the other qualities were obvious.
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Susan Brooks, Owner and Co-founder of a business that has successfully operated for 30 years, Cookies from Home. She is a strong authentic leader of her business and in her community. Her product of absolutely delicious and high quality cookies are a fun way to build stronger connections in business relationships (a large portion of her customer base is business to business across the U.S.) and is in alignment with her purpose and passions. I also had the good fortune of meeting with Andrea Beaulieu this week. She specializes in helping people find their authenticity through her professional speaking, consulting and coaching. Her latest book is Finding Your Authentic Voice.
We are hungry for authentic leaders in our business and political world. It is not enough to have the best product or service. Differentiating through highly authentic interactions will set you apart from the competition. People do business with people; in our world of many choices I choose to do business with people who connect with me authentically.
What is your definition of authenticity? What authentic leadership experiences can you share? Please post a comment to share.
photo credits: MR38, Scubadive67
Paula — what a great article, and thank you so much for your kind words. Takes one to know one! One other resource — Theory U: Leading From the Future as It Emerges, by Dr. C. Otto Scharmer — is full of info on leading from the source dimension, which is where our authentic selves and authentic power live. I’m glad to see more and more coming out on this.
Andrea
Thank you Andrea, it was such a pleasure to talk with you and experience your authenticity last week. I appreciate you sharing your comment and additional information about Dr. C. Otto Scharmer.