Being authentic as a leader
In a study on authentic leadership undertaken amongst a broad range of leaders both in terms of age, experience, ethnicity, gender and the context in which they operate, no universal traits, characteristics, skills or styles were found[1]. Is that surprise to you? It was to the team that conducted this research. Instead, what they found was that each individual’s approach and style emerged from their life story and their experiences which were different person-to-person.
Here are two experiences that I (Andy) had that shaped who I am and therefore how I lead. The first is the experience of growing up as one of four brothers where the competitive juices constantly flowed. In my early years of work and leadership my natural competitiveness was something I had to pay attention to and work to control. It was not easy. The second experience was reporting to a wonderfully calm and thoughtful leader in my very first job. His words of insight, encouragement and personal concern allowed me to see great leadership in action first-hand. Even today, 44 years later, I still recollect some of the things Ray said to me and I seek to emulate the example he set.
Making the connections between our life experiences and who we are as a person in terms of our values, principles, motivations and sense of purpose is a vital part of our self-reflection. It is the basis of understanding our biases and blind spots, as well as our strengths and gifts. We can be who we truly are, while aware that who we are is a constant work in progress. Instead of trying to copy the style or approach of someone else, we can bring our genuine selves to each and every context in which we lead. Authors Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew McLean and Diana Mayer say “Authentic leaders have a steady and confident presence. They do not show up as one person one day and another person the next.”[2] In an age when profile, presentation and image encourage so much duplicity, we all have to work hard to be our genuine selves, to be authentic.
Reflection questions:
What experiences have you had that have shaped the values you hold and the way you choose to lead your team?
How can we all increase our awareness of how we are leading: when we are our authentic selves and when we are not?
[1] George, Bill, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer. "Discovering Your Authentic Leadership." Harvard Business Review 85, no. 2 (February 2007).
[2] "Discovering Your Authentic Leadership" by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer, 2007 - included in Emotional Intelligence - Authentic Leadership, Harvard Business Review Press, 2017, page 31