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The phrase “Authentic Leadership” has gained currency over the last few years but what exactly does it mean?  How does “leadership” become “authentic”? Well, its probably fair to say that most people fall into leadership (e.g., senior management) roles.  The route many (most?) people take is that they get a job somewhere, find out they’re pretty good at the technical stuff, get promoted, quite like the extra responsiblity/kudos and get promoted a couple more times.  Sound familiar?

The thing is that, for many of these people, they have a little voice somewhere within their earshot that keeps making comments such as “you’ll be found out one of these days” or “you’re never going to be able to pull this one off”.  In coaching terms, this companion is called a “gremlin” and gremlins resent being told what to do.  Having this negative loop playing in one’s head can have a negative impact on the manager which, at times, can severely hamper performance and decision-making.  After all, making a decision with those sort of “useful insights” running around one’s head would have anyone questioning their skills and abilities; when someone else starts questioning the manager’s decisions, then the fire-works can really start.

An authentic leader is one that has a strong sense of who they are and what they’re about.  They have spent time understanding themselves, uncovering their beliefs and defining their values.  In a nutshell, they understand what makes them tick.  This provides them a stable platform to put their head above the parapet, make conscious decisions that they believe in and lead others confidently.  To me, an authentic leader is one who is not “blowing in the wind”.  By this, I mean someone who is consistent in their message and isn’t going to change their mind once an aspect of a plan or decision is questioned.

Since an Authentic Leader has a very strong sense of self, this allows them engage fully with others by encouraging debate, welcoming criticism and incorporating changes that support the overall objectives.  This in turn makes for better decisions, better implementation and better performance, as people feel they can contribute and be heard, a vitally important aspect to engaging staff.  More of staff engagement anon.  What’s your take on “Authentic Leadership”?