Authentic Leadership. Weakness or true differentiator?
Do you think the authenticity in leaders is a value or is it a lack of professionalism?
Harter (2002) defined authenticity to mean that a person’s thoughts and feelings are consistent with their actions. Bass & Steidlmeier (1999), Luthans & Avolio (2003) and May et al., (2003) have all indicated that “authentic leaders are guided by a set of values that are oriented toward doing what’s right and fair for all stakeholders”.
The concept of authentic leadership in business is relatively a recent development. Authentic leadership is a leadership style shown by individuals who display high standards of integrity, hold themselves accountable for their actions, and make decisions based on principles rather than short-term success (btw: principles vs pragmatism is another interesting topic to delve into ). These leaders rely on their inner compasses to guide their daily actions, which earns the trust of their employees, peers, and shareholders— fostering approachable work environments and enhancing team performance.
There are 5 key drivers of authenticity, based on my experience:
Self-awareness. Authenticity requires a deep recognition of and attention to your values, emotions, expectations, struggles, motivations, preferences, frustrations, and the contradictions. Being an authentic leader means understanding your unique leadership style and you making life decisions that reflect your ethics, values, and personality.
Becoming better: authentic leaders continually seek opportunities to learn and grow through feedback, actions, experience, and self-reflection. People look for leaders who embody values, embrace their vulnerability, inspire, support, and guide them. (WALK YOUR TALK)
Integrity. Acting openly, honestly and consistently. The healthy alignment between a leader’s internal values and beliefs and their external behaviour.
Emotional intelligence. Or rather, it is about the confidence and courage to express your emotions. Every single one. Including disagreement, emotion and anger – all the emotions we feel least permitted to show. Their expression (of course, the way they are expressed is key here as being authentic doesn’t give you licence to be an S.O.B.), in my opinion, has nothing to do with a lack of professionalism as I sometimes hear, but is the highest expression of authenticity and being at peace with oneself. Authentic leaders embrace vulnerability because they understand its power to foster trust, connection, and growth within themselves and their teams.
Mission driven. An unwavering and abiding commitment to a mission is integral to both authentic leadership and business success. According to a survey by EY and Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, 89 percent of executives say a sense of collective purpose drives employee engagement, and 84 percent say it leads to greater success in transformational efforts. It is always valuable and impactful to communicate purpose and vision.
What I find most important is that authentic leadership’s key differentiator – the motivation behind it. An authentic leader strives to create a meaningful relationship with their team as they work toward goals related to their organization’s mission and purpose – not just its bottom line.
Every time I wish my Team on any occasion – I get emotional. When I thank them for a year together, for the results achieved – I get teary-eyed. When I receive small expressions of being liked, kind words of appreciation or someone notices my efforts – I am over the moon. I also get emotional when I see the commitment of the Team, when I feel that I have succeeded in instilling an idea in them and it drives their actions soon after. I don’t hide these emotions anymore. That’s how I am. This is me.
I am confident that the core of outstanding leadership lies in authenticity. It is the bedrock for solid relationships, effective communication, ethical behaviour, and sustainable success. In a world where trust is paramount, authentic and transparent leadership is not just a nice-to-have quality but an essential trait. Therefore, to become a great leader, you must embrace authenticity. No matter where you are professionally,investing time in personal growth, enhancing your emotional intelligence, putting your leadership skills into practice and embracing your mission can lead to significant gains – for you, your team and your organization. Don`t you think so?
