Becoming an authentic leader
“Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are” Brene Brown.
The best leaders I have ever worked with have their own authentic style.
That celebrates who they are firstly as humans and then as leaders.
But then vitally they put their unique superpowers to the collective good rather than pursuing their own selfish agenda.
Unfortunately it is rare to be this real. Many leaders fail to lead authentically.
Why?
Because it is difficult and requires effort.
Out of pressure to conform to a narrow, corporate model of what it takes to be a leader in your organisation.
For some because of their own imposter syndrome. It can seem safer adopting someone else’s style rather than exposing your own values as a leader. The problem is others will always be a much better version of themselves than you will be.
Sometimes because their boss demands they be like them. A friend was told in a year-end review by his boss that to be more successful he needed to be much more like the boss!!
Out of fear. As a coach, I know that fear is such a powerful barrier preventing change and growth. This can be fear of how you might be perceived if you express your vulnerability.
For some, they are too blinded by their own self-agenda to serve the common good as an authentic leader.
The bottom line is not being true to yourself as a leader:
Is exhausting as you are always pretending, always trying to second guess.
Is ultimately unfulfilling even if you are successful in the short-term.
Means that you keep your own unique superpowers hidden.
Means you are less likely to connect with people around you as you become known for wearing a mask.
From experience, there are few things as important and as liberating as finding your authentic style of leadership. It took me a while to find my authentic style but once I did there was no turning back!
By being authentically you, you become a role model for others to be true to themselves. It unleashes so much energy in yourself and in others. You play to your unique strengths.
So what if these strengths are different to others in your organisation. That is to be celebrated as it encourages cognitive diversity. Great people leaders encourage this.
The good news is that through coaching/mentoring leaders can be supported to identify and leverage their authentic style.
This allows them and the organisations they lead to grow faster and more sustainably.
SO how do you develop your own leadership style. I recommend the following steps.
1. Identify your own values (no more than 4 words) as a person/professional.
2. Use these to guide what you stand for as a leader and what you do not. You need to accept that you cannot be all things to all people. Far better to be brilliant at a few areas that are important to you than try to be average at everything.
3. Release yourself from the pressure to be perfect. This is impossible as a leader. The good news is you do not have to be perfect to be incredible.
4. Lead in line with this. Try it out. Practice. Practice. Practice.
5. Regularly review and get feedback from a trusted source on how you are doing. Listen also to your intuition.
Sadly, being true to yourself does not guarantee you will be successful in every role as a leader.
But it will increase your chances AND ensure the journey will be much more joyful!
So what is your authentic style of leadership?