We are increasingly hearing it said that leaders need to be more authentic, and authenticity has become somewhat of a corporate buzzword. When they come to me for coaching, many introverted leaders tell me they don’t feel like they can be their authentic self because of misconceptions that exist about introversion.
Many of them have been putting on a more extroverted persona. But the effects of this is stressful, and some tell me that if they carry on pretending to be something they’re not, they will burn out.
Bring your whole self to work is another phrase we frequently hear. But for many people who are introverted, they don’t think that the office environment allows them to do this and still get ahead.
Why being an authentic leader might not be so good after all
So, what exactly is an authentic leader? There is no conclusive opinion, many researchers have slightly different views. But what tends to generally be understood by authentic leadership is that authentic leaders are themselves. They are self-aware. They are aligned to their values, and they stay true to them.
Authentic leaders:
“They are ‘good in their own skin’, so good that they don’t feel a need to impress or please others. They not only inspire those around them, they bring people together around a shared purpose and a common set of values and motivate them to create value for everyone involved”. – Bill George
Another description of an authentic leader is:
An authentic leader is a leader who is aware of his or her values and also acts and leads accordingly. By staying true to one’s own values, the leader is demonstrating a sense of authenticity and genuine behaviour, which increases his or her credibility as well as earns the trust of his or her followers.
- Avolio, Gardner, Walumbwa, Luthans, & May
But if this is the stance we take, Hitler could be said to be an authentic leader. He had a set of values that he lived by and earned the trust of his followers. So, it’s not enough to say you are an authentic leader because you are your true self and are aligned to your values. Adding ethical to the mix isn’t enough either because what is ethical can be subjective. Hitler could have said he was a person of ethics. He had a belief that he thought was right and he lived by those beliefs.
Being an authentic leader in the pure sense of the word is not enough. It has to include morals, integrity, equity as well.
It is more than just feeling authentic
According to Dr Hannes Leroy, authenticity can be a recipe for disaster because it is a very messy and complex topic. He says it’s not just about feeling authentic but whether other people perceive us as being authentic that is more important.
We should be careful calling ourselves authentic. When we call ourselves authentic, the more likely we are not to be perceived as being so. People will be looking to ‘trip’ us up when our actions don’t align with what we say about ourselves.
Work at feeling more authentic, but not only that, closing the gap between feeling it and being perceived as it.
You benefit greatly from being authentic
Being inauthentic can make us feel anxious, stressed, sad, and dissatisfied. This not only has implications for you, but for the people you lead and your wider organisation. Being inauthentic does not inspire trust in you.
If you are someone who tries to put on an extroverted persona, how does it make you feel? What will the effects be for you long term if you carry on like this?
When we are our authentic selves, we are naturally more confident, happier, more productive, we have better relationships, and it’s good for our overall well-being. If you regularly put on a persona and are not your authentic self, peel back the mask and learn to be the authentic you.
Be transparent. Show up as yourself and present the real you to the world. Be guided by your values. Don’t be pressured to conform to what you know is not right. Be a leader of integrity and equity. Don’t just talk the talk, but also walk the walk.
Being the authentic you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t stretch yourself or adapt your style as needed. There will be situations which don’t come naturally to you, or play to your strengths, but you can still be yourself whilst modifying your behaviour accordingly. And if something does go totally against your values and who you are, are you really in the right environment?
Knowing yourself is to understand yourself. Understanding yourself is to be your best self and if you are an introverted woman and a senior leader, to learn the number one strategy introverted women use to accelerate their influence and impact as senior leaders (which includes being authentic), join my next free, live webinar here.
If you are in a predominately extroverted environment, you may think that by being your authentic, introverted self you won’t get ahead as a leader. However, the best person to be is the best version of you. And if all leaders were authentic, what a better world it would be.
What does being an authentic leader mean for you?
First published on LinkedIn.
If you are an introverted woman and a senior leader and want to increase your confidence, influence and impact, take my free assessment and get a report identifying areas to develop. You can take the assessment here.