Authenticity in Leadership

February 20, 2023

Company Culture

Authenticity is different for everyone. Your authentic self makes you unique, and as a leader, learning to develop, demonstrate, and teach authenticity will contribute to your success and those under your charge.

It builds trust, promotes creativity and innovation, and enhances personal and professional growth in yourself and others. Authenticity feels like it should come naturally, but we often hide behind a mask of whom we think we should be or our expectations of a leader.

When we mimic the idea of a leader, we’re robbing ourselves and our people of the best of us and their opportunity to become their best selves.

Thankfully, there are ways we can learn to develop or instead expose our authenticity, demonstrate it, and teach others to do the same.

Developing authenticity requires leaders to share their genuine selves with the world. We need to let go of inauthentic behaviours and insecurities.

#authenticleaders are transparent and open about their intentions and motivations.

We are true to our values, beliefs, and goals.

Discovering your values and beliefs is the first step to becoming an authentic leader. To be authentic, we need to know what we stand for. Leaders must understand our values and beliefs and how they shape our decision-making. Learning your values and beliefs requires self-reflection and introspection. Ask yourself what is important to you and why.

Authenticity requires honesty with others, but first, honesty with yourself. Leaders must be honest about their intentions, motivations, and limitations. We need to be transparent and open about our goals and aspirations.

Authentic leaders build relationships based on trust and respect. We listen to others and value their opinions. We create a safe and supportive environment where people can express themselves and share their ideas.

Vulnerability feels counterintuitive when we think of powerful leaders. But leaders must admit their weaknesses and seek and reflect on feedback from others. Authentic leaders must be open to criticism and ready to learn from mistakes.

To be authentic, leaders need to align their actions with their values. It’s almost cliché to say leaders need to lead by example, but clichés become clichés because their truth is worth repeating. Alignment of your actions and values requires consistency and integrity. Leaders need to be true to themselves and their beliefs.

Authenticity is not automatic and requires committed practice through a lifelong process of self-reflection, self-awareness, a willingness to be vulnerable, and continuous efforts to learn.

Demonstrating authenticity requires leaders to embrace transparency and openness about their intentions, motivations, and limitations. We communicate honestly with our team and create a culture of openness and trust, where information flows freely and abhors hidden agendas.

Authentic leaders use active listening with their teams. We value opinions and perspectives and create a safe and supportive environment where people express feelings and share ideas.

Vulnerability is scary, and so is admitting mistakes, but taking responsibility for our actions and learning from our failures is an essential demonstration of our authenticity as leaders. Humility and openness provide opportunities for growth and improvement.

Earlier, we discussed discovering our values and showing that we are authentic leaders means we align our actions with those values and beliefs. The alignment of actions and values requires consistency and integrity.

Authentic leaders show empathy and compassion towards people. We understand people have unique needs and motivations and tailor our approaches accordingly. We listen to people’s concerns and offer support when needed.

As leaders, we develop the next generation of leaders by elevating those working with us and giving them guidance and mentorship so that they seek and reach their true potential. As crucial as our self-development and demonstration of our authenticity is our duty as leaders to share wisdom with our people to help elevate them to new heights.

The first and easiest step to teaching authenticity in leadership is living and leading authentically. When we are true to ourselves and our beliefs, our actions show a visible alignment, and our people see that authenticity as a model for their future leadership goals.

Communication is a two-way street, as leaders encouraging feedback and dialogue in a safe and supportive allows people to question and learn. We are open to feedback and willing to learn from our experiences and people. This openness encourages our team to explore their values and demonstrate their authenticity.

Leaders teach authenticity by creating opportunities for self-reflection and growth. They can encourage their team members to reflect on their values and beliefs and how they shape their decision-making. We need to create a continuous learning and development culture to spark the lifelong process of growth in our people.

Authentic Leaders are generous with knowledge through mentorship and coaching. We share our knowledge and experience and offer guidance and support for our team’s pursuit of their authentic leadership style. Through mentorship and coaching, leaders show a belief in personal and professional growth.

Leaders teach authenticity by recognizing and rewarding it. We acknowledge the people that show authenticity and show appreciation for it. We make authenticity a part of the performance management process and recognize it as a valuable leadership skill. By acknowledging and rewarding authenticity, our people recognize its desirable quality and focus on their development.

Authenticity is essential for leaders to develop, demonstrate, and teach.

Leaders build authenticity by knowing their values and beliefs, being honest with themselves and others, building relationships based on trust and respect, embracing vulnerability, and aligning their actions with their values.

We demonstrate authenticity with transparency and openness, listening actively, admitting their mistakes, aligning their actions with their values, and showing empathy and compassion.

Leaders teach authenticity by example, encourage feedback and dialogue, create opportunities for self-reflection and growth, provide mentorship and coaching, and recognize and reward authenticity.

As leaders, creating a culture of authenticity in our organizations inspires our people to be true to themselves and their beliefs. Authenticity is a commitment to learning and development.

By developing, demonstrating, and teaching it, authentic leaders will set the next generations of leaders on a path of personal and professional growth.