Authenticity

I couldn't resist this excerpt from an article by Bruna Martinuzzi entitled, The Talisman of Leadership: Authenticity.

In it she describes those qualities that make a leader stand out from the 'pack'. Qualities such as transparent communication, lucid thinking, directnesss of language, uncompromising ethics and a clear congruence between their internal vision of the world and its outward expression.

These are what she terms as 'the leaves of authenticity'.

• Living your values as a leader every day is an important key component of authentic leadership. However, you need to examine these values periodically to consider their validity in today’s environment. Work-life balance, for example, is no longer a perk – it may be an essential requirement for attracting the best minds to your organization.

• Are you in the habit of making hasty promises that you know from past experience you are unable to keep? Think back on what promises you made, to whom, and see if you can fulfill some of these.

• There is a real freedom when we shed all affectation. Are there times in your life when you see yourself being forced to put on a show to make an impression on others? Resolve to stop that, once and for all. Watch yourself soar when you are unencumbered by the weight of pretense. Tell yourself, “I am enough” – and mean it.

• Straight talk, self-confidence, and simplicity – these are the building blocks of substance; the triumph over image. Think about how you can make these a daily habit.

• Are there areas in your life where you might lack consistency without intending to? For example, are you kind to some people, but not to others? Are you completely truthful in some circumstances, but not in others? What does this insight tell you?

• Start collecting personal stories that you can use to illustrate to others important aspects of your leadership style, such as, what motivates you to lead; what your philosophy of leading is; and who you are as a person. Personal stories are the most effective form of storytelling for leaders.

• Adversity reveals our true character. Consider your conduct when things go wrong. Remind yourself that, as a leader, you are continuously under a looking glass. People want to be inspired by you.

• When you are given a script you didn’t write for a presentation that you have to deliver, spend extra time to make the words your own. Purge your presentations of inadvertently inflated language, which often ends with others questioning your authenticity as a speaker. For example, replace the words ‘eating establishments’ with ‘restaurants’, ‘learning environments’ with ‘schools’ or ‘universities’, ‘expeditious’ with ‘efficient.’ Take inspiration from Winston Churchill, who said, “Speak in short, homely words of common usage.”

• Are you forced to live in disharmony between who you are and what you do? Have you turned a deaf ear to the whispers of your heart? Resolve today to take action to start the journey back to finding yourself, to reconnecting with your passions and values. If this is not possible for you because of restrictions in your current circumstance, think about small compromises that you can start making right now to be more in a state of harmony.

• If you are an emergent leader, comfortable with seeking approval before making any decisions, develop a plan to start practicing self-reliance. Start with smaller-scale decisions, and progressively move on to more significant ones. Only when you free yourself from the need to have others’ approval can you truly start to evolve into the authentic leader you were meant to be.

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