Authentic leadership – bring your true self to work
The promise of authentic leadership means that the individual can bring their true selves – their authentic selves – to their work and this will be welcomed by their colleagues and the organisation that they work within.
Becoming an authentic leader is a process of personal development, not the result of some skills training. It is about getting back in touch with your core self, your true values and taking the risk of being yourself in your leadership role rather than merely acting a part. However good an actor you are, you know that you are maintaining a persona and over time this can become unsustainable and come at too high a personal cost.
You may have got this far in your career by doing what is expected of you and fitting in. Maybe compromising here and there. Maybe holding parts of yourself back, for fear that they may not be welcome at work. Hiding the parts that feel vulnerable.
Now you are in a leadership role, you may feel compromised by your head telling you what is expected, but your heart – your emotions and instincts – wanting to take you in a different direction. You have a dilemma that cannot be easily resolved.
A house divided against itself cannot stand
As US President Abraham Lincoln famously said: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Something needs to change. Your head and your heart cannot continue to pull you in two different directions.
As you continue on your leadership journey, the challenges and compromises will only be greater and the personal cost to yourself only more difficult and painful. The end result of this will certainly be stress, possibly depression … and ultimately burn-out.
However it doesn’t need to be like this.
You could find a way of being yourself and being in a leadership role at work with the two working together, not against each other.
Your Authentic Leadership Journey
Deciding to go on a journey of personal development is the first step. Being willing to take a fresh look at yourself and rediscover the authentic you is a necessary first step in the work that needs to be done. It is an investment for the long term.
The results can be dramatic and liberating.
Through increased levels of self-awareness, a fuller sense of your true self and through accepting your innate values and natural strengths, you will become more effective, creative and productive.
Instead of wishing you were different and pretending to be someone you’re not, you accept yourself and can feel comfortable and confident in your own skin.
Instead of second-guessing what needs to be done, you will have clarity about the direction to go in as you tap into your intuition, being guided by your core values.
Instead of saying what other people want to hear, you speak powerfully and authoritatively from the depths of your true self – other people will call it charisma.
The benefits of Authentic Leadership
The results?
A working life that is a pleasure. Meaningful and purposeful. Energising and inspiring.
A happier and more fulfilling life – both within the workplace and beyond.
If you would like to take the first step on the road to becoming an authentic leader, get in touch with me today for an initial conversation.
Read more about Authentic Leadership
To understand more about Authentic Leadership and how you could bring the true you to work, you may like to read my book on the subject: “Understanding Authentic Leadership: Leading with the true you” The book is available to buy from Bookboon.com.
Why work with me?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside many authentic leaders – people who are genuinely motivated by making a positive difference in the world. They are driven by a cause, belief or vision. The purpose of work for them is crystal clear, they are focussed on making a difference and they feel inspired by their work – and in turn inspire others.
The key is to get in touch with what really matters to you and identify and be honest about where you are operating from your conditioning, rather than your true self. Through working together you will have greater awareness of your conditioning, re-examine your attitudes, shine a light on your blind-spots and re-evaluate your choices.