Lack of Integrity and Authenticity is a deal breaker between
leader and follower. Seeking to be authentic
is a positive step in any leader’s personal development. Having an authentic
leader helps promote mutual trust and respect between leader and follower.
Cultivating authenticity in your personal life and
leadership style is not arriving at a destination. Authenticity is not a railway
station in our leadership journey. Authentic leadership is about making the
right decisions within the moment, as each situation arises. The leader is constantly
faced with the choice to be authentic or not in: truth, mission and values.
Having a method to evaluate authenticity is important to a leader.
It helps him or her gauge their progress and whether or not they are moving in
the right direction. This evaluation requires the leader to be both honest and vulnerable.
Honesty is for the self evaluation: Am I Authentic? Vulnerability is for surveying
those that follow: Am I Authentic? Read the article on 5 Tips to Evaluating
Authentic Leadership here.
Before we evaluate our authenticity, we need to know how to
express it. Here are five basic tips to developing a authentic leadership attitude:
- Know your Values and Beliefs: Values make us who we are, make us do what we do, empower us to
achieve or limit us to stay where
we are. Knowing your values will allow you to understand your decision making process
and to have better control of your emotions. Knowledge of your values will help
you make decisions in the moment to be more authentic and true to who you
really are. Read more on values and beliefs here. - Have a Vision and Mission: Be clear on who you are (values) and be clear on what you want to achieve (mission). Mission becomes the rail on which we run our purpose and goal setting. A clear mission will help you decide which projects you should be involved in and which you should just let pass you by. The power to make these kinds of decisions will lead you to authentic leadership styles.
- Communications Skills: Knowing what you want to say and saying it in a manner that gets the result
you desire is crucial to
successful leadership. Excellent communication helps leaders understand their
follows, helps them motivate and influence others in a beneficial manner. This
communication Skill must go hand in hand with a genuine care for others. Most
people easily sniff out manipulation and insincerity. Communicating out of a place of care and
concern will create authentic leadership. 
Say what you mean and mean what you say: When we
communicate we create expectations and impressions. The leader must have every
intention of living up to the expectations created. Don’t say things that you don’t
mean. Being true to your words creates a reputation of integrity.
Other Articles on Authentic Leadership:
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