There is much that has been written about what it is to be an authentic leader.  It took me most of my corporate career to truly work out what that meant for me and to put in practice.    Like most of us, I have been exposed to a wide range of leaders. Some were inspirational, others were practical and down to earth, most were extroverts, some with large egos and the level of self-awareness varied widely.

Initially I tried to emulate the characteristics of the individuals I admired the most.  Picking up a touch of the visionary and inspirational from one person, mixing with a dash of humility from another, with a good chunk of empathy from someone else.  You get the picture.  It worked to a certain extent, I was modelling some good behaviours but it still wasn’t me. 

It was only when I worked with a coach that I began to really explore what my unique mix of skills, attributes and experience made me as a leader.  Going through a deep process of examining my core values clarified how I wanted to show up and identify the non-negotiable boundaries that I wouldn’t cross.  Tackling the imposter syndrome which had dogged me for much of my career, enabled me to realise that I was more than capable.  Harnessing my introversion as a super power also helped.   But what was really transformational was the more I shared my vulnerability with my colleagues, the greater connection I was able to build with them. 

There are huge challenges facing leaders today – economic volatility, social change, changing working patterns, climate sustainability, diversity and inclusion. More than ever, organisations need authentic leaders, that are comfortable in their own skin. People who honour and live by their values, have excellent relationship skills, and are resilient and adaptable.  That requires personal awareness, courage and humility, based on a clear internal moral compass; not an identikit model of leadership based on ideal attributes that you have seen in others. 

Authentic leadership is about you.  A coach can help you work out who that is.

Photo by Sunil Ray on Unsplash