Authentic Leadership
I have been coaching leaders for over 15 years, and I do not know one who wants to be considered, spurious, fake, counterfeit, or unreliable. Those are the words used to describe the opposite of authentic, a leadership buzz word that has been on the rise over the last two decades.
Authenticity is about character, and today stakeholders are looking for leaders who hold themselves accountable for their actions and words, not to mention their moral compass. Today’s employees are challenging older leadership models, including the “great man theory” and competency-based models. They want the real deal, someone who continually strives for higher ground. Case in point being the now ex-Chairman of KPMG, who proclaimed unconscious bias to be “completely crap”. Try telling that to any woman or other minority global leader of the future trying to climb the corporate jungle gym.
In the current business climate, there is decreasing space for out-of-touch, low self-monitoring leaders resisting the renewed quest for diversity and inclusion at the top. Not that this kind of leadership is not authentic, it is more a question of who wants to work with that person? How is that leader capable of inspiring a culturally inclusive, empowered team of people?
There are scholarly arguments on both sides of the value of Authentic Leadership, but there is plenty of data showing authenticity has a positive impact on team trust, productivity, and the bottom line. However, it has been my experience from my Fortune 500 clients to my entrepreneurs, the leaders that excel and are the ones who are most respected, are those who are self-aware, who hold themselves to a high, yet realistic standard of behavior, and who are sensitive to their impact on others. These are the leaders who are introspective, look at their lives in a holistic way and welcome feedback so they may constantly evolve.
It is not easy being authentic. By nature, we as humans are guarded about exposing our negative qualities. Yet, as we are in a moment when leaders are under the spotlight, and transparency is currency, it best to lead up. We are weary and desperate for change. We need and desire, strong, authentic leadership by those with emotional intelligence and a greater sense of purpose. In an era of fake news and abusive leadership, who would you chose to lead? I vote for authenticity every time.