The Courageous Leadership Newsletter: Are You an Authentic Leader?
November/December 2008
Greetings!
Over the last few months, everyone's been talking about two things: the election and the government bailout. What's interesting is that both events have brought to the forefront (among other things) the topic of leading with integrity and authenticity. And in the case of the financial meltdown, the lack thereof. Authentic leadership is not a new concept, and in these challenging times, it's more important than ever.
To understand what we mean by authentic leadership, consider the word authentic. It means genuine or real. Yet too often, we encounter people who are convinced that being genuine or real in today's business world is next to impossible. But the truth is, it's not. It may be challenging and it may test your mettle, but it is possible. When you really think about it, what's actually more difficult is "inauthenticity." Think about all the energy and mental drain it takes not being true to yourself.
You see, it all comes back to courageous conversations, a topic we discussed in our inaugural newsletter. When you find the will to have a courageous conversation with yourself about what is really important to you, what you value and believe, and the kind of leader you want to be, it makes becoming "authentic" in your leadership that much clearer. In the Center for Creative Leadership's periodical Leadership In Action (July/Aug 2001), Marian Ruderman and Sharon Rogolsky state, "Feeling authentic, living a life that is strongly connected to one's belief system, is energizing and promotes growth, learning and psychological well-being--all important elements of effective leadership and leadership development. Conversely, inauthenticity can often be recognized by others and become a disruptive, negative force in the organization."
In this edition of "Courageous Leadership," we're going to dig deeper into what it means to be authentic and provide some practical tips and advice on how to focus on being real as a leader in today's world.
Wishing you a joyous holiday season,
Brenda & Angie
Are You an Authentic Leader?
We recently asked some college students to identify what words or phrases came to mind when they thought about the word leadership and about those leaders they have come to admire. Here's what they said: integrity, authenticity, courage, and someone who leads according to their value system.
Now, some people might say, "Ah, youth! Love their idealism." But we say, wait a minute! Why can't this "idealism" be reality? Yes, it's true that the news is full of reports about businesses that have failed due to greed, corruption, or both. The leaders of these companies weren't acting with integrity or authenticity, but that's because they chose not to, right? Living according to your value system is a choice. We doubt many of these leaders woke up one day and said, "I'm going to be the greediest, most corrupt CEO that I can be." It took time, and it took ignoring that inner voice that lives inside all of us that says, "Hold on. This isn't how I want to be."
To take it to a personal level, think about your daily interactions as a leader. In what circumstances may you find yourself being less than authentic? In attempts to live up to organizational expectations, do your behaviors sometimes go against the grain of who you are? Do you "posture" conversations instead of saying what needs to be said? Do you hold back from speaking your opinion due to internal "politics"? Or would you like to possess the confidence and conviction to speak the hard truth, even if it is not what people want to hear? And do it in a way that people recognize and respect your authentic position regarding the matter at hand and gain their commitment?
So the question is, given the constant challenges in the organizations we lead, how do you stay on course to be that authentic leader?
The Road to Authentic Leadership Involves Reflection and Respect for Your Own Values
Authentic leadership involves regular reflection on what's true for you. We get so caught up in the day-to-day grind, reacting, putting out fires, responding to people's demands that--over time--our own value system can get lost, ignored, and disconnected. Then, one day, we wake up and ask ourselves the question, "How did I get here?"
If you ever have a moment like that (and even if you haven't given much thought to it), ask these questions:
- Is what I'm doing consistent with what I believe?
- Is this how I want to experience my career and life?
- Is it in alignment with what I value?
- What is really important to ME?
Part of staying true to yourself involves having clarity around your own value system. What do you stand for? What do you believe in? What's important to you? Look at the path you have taken and the choices you have made to this point. What have been the determining factors when making decisions and choices? Have you made choices by default, allowing circumstances to drive your decisions, or have your choices been deliberate, moving you along the path that you want to go down? Do you have a value or belief that you've always known about deep down, but that you have not been honoring, or "covering up"? Why?
Current research supports the hypothesis that the high performance leaders of today are those who are able to lead their organizations in a way that is in alignment with their own value systems. In the same periodical mentioned earlier, CCL's Ruderman & Rogolsky looked at the relationship between authenticity and effective leadership. Not surprising, they found a high correlation. Their research defined the characteristics of authentic leadership:
- "Clarity about one's values, priorities, and preferences
- Acceptance of the necessity for choices and trade- offs in life
- A strong sense of self-determination
- A willingness to work toward aligning one's values
- A high degree of comfort and satisfaction with decisions made earlier in life."
Their findings revealed that those managers who had peak performance were those who were able to bring their real, whole selves to work, and were able to practice their own natural leadership styles.
The hard part for people is this: while it intrinsically makes sense to behave and make decisions that are in alignment with their value system, it often involves risk. It requires the courage to respect the answers that these questions generate. We realize that this is the challenging part because so often in the workplace it's difficult for people to be who they really are and to express their values due to the organization's culture or office politics. Many people find it hard to be authentic in the workplace because it makes them feel vulnerable. However, when you think about it, doing less than that is selling yourself out. Just as important, most people who come to know you will see you as covering up or living a lie. This leads to loss of credibility, lack of support, and, ultimately, lack of trust.
Remember, it takes courage to step back, reflect upon your values, and then have enough respect for these values and yourself to start having the courageous conversations in the workplace that you need to start having. But this follow-through is integral to becoming an authentic leader, and it's an ongoing process. You must continually be aware of who you are and what you stand for. Take that regular time-out through coaching to have that rare breathing space, to reflect, and get centered so that your choices are deliberate, as opposed to being reactive and driven by circumstance.
The Path You Choose Determines the Life You Lead and the Legacy You Leave
Each day you make choices. Make sure the ones you make are based on what you stand for and who you are. We know it's not easy, but having those courageous conversations with yourself--and then acting on them--will put you on the road to authentic leadership.
During this holiday season, we want to share a gift with you: take some time with us to examine your values and affirm that you are on the path of your choosing. To arrange for this complimentary values session (40-minute session), contact us today.
