Managing Authenticity -
The Paradox of Great Leadership
To attract followers, a leader has to be many things to
many people. The trick is to pull that off while remaining
true to yourself.
Leadership demands the expression of an authentic self. Try to lead like someone else - say, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, or Michael Dell - and you will fail. Employees will not follow a CEO who invests little of himself in his leadership behaviors. People want to be led by someone "real." This is partly a reaction to the turbulent times we live in. It is also a response to the public's widespread disenchantment with politicians and businesspeople. We all suspect that we're being duped.
Our growing dissatisfaction with sleek, ersatz, airbrushed leadership is what makes authenticity such a desirable quality in today's corporations - a quality that, unfortunately, is in short supply. Leaders and followers both associate authenticity with sincerity, honesty, and integrity. It's the real thing - the attribute that uniquely defines great leaders.
But while the expression of an authentic self is necessary for great leadership, the concept of authenticity is often misunderstood, not least by leaders themselves. They often assume that authenticity is an innate quality - that a person is either authentic or not. In fact, authenticity is a quality that others must attribute to you. No leader can look into a mirror and say, "I am authentic." A person cannot be authentic on his or her own. Authenticity is largely defined by what other people see in you and, as such, can to a great extent be controlled by you. If authenticity were purely an innate quality, there would be little you could do to manage it and, therefore, little you could do to make yourself more effective as a leader.
Indeed, managers who exercise no control over the expression of their authentic selves get into trouble very quickly when they move into leadership roles. Consider Bill, a manager in a large utility company in Pittsburgh. Bill started out as a trainee electrician, but senior management at the company swiftly spotted his talent. The HR department persuaded Bill to go to university, from which he graduated with a good degree. Afterward, he was warmly welcomed back to his job. His work at the utility company often involved managing projects, and he became adept at assembling and leading teams. His technical abilities and his honesty were his biggest leadership attributes.
Things started to unravel when Bill moved to the head office and became an adviser to some of the most senior executives in the company.
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Reprinted from Harvard Business Review |
 Note from Kevin
Greetings!
It is a real gift to personal development when we are presented with an idea that is timely, and I am convinced "Managing Authenticity" is, as our friends from the north say, "bang on!" The article contains a message that has been the centerpiece for many of our conversations over the past few months and has the potential to take your leadership, management and relationships to a brand new level.
Throughout history, high performers have had some very important characteristics in common:
They know themselves - they have "risen up" to see themselves as others see them.
They know others - they have "risen up" to recognize the styles, preferences and comfort levels of the people around them.
They manage who they are - they have "risen up" to manage the "person" they bring to every interaction with all the very different people in their lives.
Please pay attention to what I am about to say. In all of my experiences as a business coach/trainer, I see no bigger advantage when it comes to building the effective relationships you will need to achieve greatness. Managing the "you" that you bring to every relationship is not pretense, nor is it manipulative. Managing the "you" that you bring to every relationship is about separating yourself and your business from your competitors. Bring your best!
Life is good!
KW |
