Authentic Leadership

I’ve spent the past week reading up on leadership, specifically Authentic Leadership. From Bill George’s book on Authentic Leadership, to HBR articles like ‘Discovering your Authentic Leadership’ by Bill George et al., ‘What to ask the person in the mirror’ by Kaplan, and ‘The Authenticity Paradox’ by Herminia Ibarra.  

While they explore various facets of Authentic leadership, the central idea is that authentic leadership begins with self-awareness, reflection, and a well-defined sense of values and purpose.

George emphasizes the internal journey, whereas Kaplan concentrates on 'disciplined self-checking' using reflective questions. Ibarra cautions that having a limited view of authenticity might hinder leaders, suggesting that becoming a truly authentic leader involves pushing beyond one's comfort zone.

Key takeaways for me: know yourself deeply, question yourself regularly, and keep growing without becoming trapped by an overly rigid idea of who you are (would recommend watching Ibarra's TEDx talk).

Most of these are inward-looking, at yourself.

• Know yourself deeply. Reflect on your life experiences, values, and what drives you. Understanding your own story, including your mistakes and vulnerabilities, gives you the foundation to lead genuinely. Seek feedback from others to see yourself as they see you.

• Self-reflection. Reflect on and question yourselves about your vision and priorities, managing time, feedback, alignment, leading under pressure, and staying true to yourself.

• Iterate and keep growing. Develop an “adaptively authentic” style by experimenting with different leadership styles/approaches.

Now that the ‘inner’ work is done, how do you lead effectively?

• Connect through purpose. Help people understand how their work matters and aligns with the organization's mission.

• Build Trust. Be transparent about mistakes. Admit when you're wrong and own your errors. This gives others permission to do the same and builds trust. Share your feelings appropriately and let people see the real you.

• Lead with your strengths, while building teams to complement your gaps/weaknesses. Focus on what you do well, then surround yourself with people who complement your gaps. Build a diverse team that reflects different perspectives and capabilities.

The quote I liked most from last week

”The moments that most challenge our sense of self are the ones that can teach us the most about leading effectively.”