A Guide to Authentic Leadership
Introduction
Great leaders are like sturdy, mature trees. They change with the seasons whilst maintaining their form. They can survive in all weathers but flourish when given the right conditions. They continually grow and bear fruit, providing shelter for some and nourishment for others. They may bend, but will very rarely break in a storm. And the crucial factor which creates both healthy strong trees and healthy strong leaders is the same: good roots.
The big barrier to authentic leadership Many of my coaching clients come to me because they want to build their confidence. This might be so that they perform well in interviews, to be able to lead and present effectively in different scenarios or just to try to chip away at an underlying feeling of imposter syndrome. I remember always looking over my shoulder in the first few years of Headship, wondering when I was going to be found out, sure that someone would realise that I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing, and convinced that I would make a mistake which would give me away.
Why is it that we seem to become less self confident with age? This seems to be especially true for women. Just think of all those millions of middle aged, experienced and highly capable women who are not living up to their full leadership potential due to a lack of confidence. The world is missing out! There is no simple step which can be taken to switch this confidence on, but there are many small steps we can take to slowly build confidence and to turn that inner critic voice into an inner cheerleader instead.
The good roots of leadership
Much has been written about the three main bedrocks of leadership: purpose, vision and values. In addition to these, leaders with strong roots also demonstrate self-awareness and confidence. They have done the groundwork to build a strong sense of self as well as clarity around their values. Their words, actions and responses are deeply connected with their purpose, which gives them that ‘why’ that Simon Sinek refers to. This is embedded through being clearly articulated and interwoven through all areas of their work. Great leaders are sure of their strengths and how to employ them effectively whilst being aware of which skills to cultivate and which are best outsourced. They have a deep understanding of self, and are able to identify and analyse their inner voice, unique perspectives and personal narratives. Once these have been fully explored and defined, then confidence comes.
Steps to confidence
1, Purpose
Why are you doing what you are doing and why should others join you? If you find this tricky to articulate then you have some work to do.
Recent thinking has suggested that instead of striving for happiness, we should seek to fulfil a purpose, then happiness will be a product of this, instead of the only result. There are questions you can ask yourself, such as: ‘How would you like to be remembered?’ ‘What would you like others to say about your work?’ ‘What difference do you want to make?’ ‘Which passion drives you and where do you want this to lead?’
Our purpose is often very succinct: precise enough to fit onto a mug or a T-shirt. Once you have established what your calling is, then you can find a working environment where this is needed and where you will be able to have the most impact.
3 Books to read:
Start with Why by Simon Sinek,
Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson
Ikigai by Hector Garcia
2 TED Talks to listen to:
Living Beyond Limits by Amy Purdy
2 Questions to Uncover Your Passion by Noeline Kirabo
1 Film to watch: King Richard
2, Vision
This is very much determined by circumstances. It requires a clear understanding of ‘where we are currently’ and ‘where we want to be.’ The role of the leader is to establish the destination; painting a clear picture of the ideal future. Using metaphors and stories here can be particularly useful to ensure that there is consensus on what this looks like. Once everyone is clear on the vision for the future, then their roles make sense and everyone will be working towards a clear goal. A leader’s task is then to trust others to find the route, to support and help them, address mistakes without blame and keep steering people in the right direction.
3 Books to read:
Turn This Ship Around by L. David Marquet
Shoedog by Phil Knight
Work Like A Woman by Mary Portas
2 TED Talks to listen to:
Draw Your Future by Patti Dobrowlski
Your Vision Statement Sucks by Cameron Herold
1 film to watch: The Pursuit of Happyness
3, Values
Some call these the guiding principles for an organisation while others refer to them as the rule book. They are the guiding light we follow when making a difficult decision and can sometimes be identified by first considering how we do NOT wish to live our lives and then noting what would be the opposite. While everyone has their own personal values, a leader also needs to work with their team to agree on the institutional values. These can vary in number but should become the rules which govern all behaviour and ultimately be driven by everyone within the organisation - to the point where ‘locker room leadership’ replaces the need for top down leadership on a day to day basis.
3 Books to read:
Dare to Lead by Brené Brown
The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann
Values Factor by John F. Demartini
2 TED Talks to listen to:
The Power of Values by Tamaray White
Why We Need Core Values by James Franklin
1 Film to Watch: Amelie
4, Self
People are attracted to those who are confident and grounded in themselves. This gives a sense of security and stability. Having a strong sense of self means being aware of our inner voice patterns and fully exploring these to know what drives them and what feeds or stops them.
We spend a great deal of time learning about the world around us but far too few of us devote time to exploring ourselves. One of the results of this can be to confuse our thoughts with facts, both about ourselves and others. It can lead to an inability to consider different perspectives which, in turn, limits our empathy and understanding. Each of us carries our own running narrative about our past and every situation which we have experienced. You only have to ask two people to give an account of an event to see how personal bias can influence the story by including, enhancing, assuming, diminishing and excluding information. Perspective taking is therefore a crucial building block of effective leadership.
When asked, we are often able to identify our strengths and weaknesses. Our closest family and friends are often willing and able to point them out! The next level of cognition is to consider the impact of these on others, especially on those who work for us. Organisation can be misread as controlling, enthusiasm can be overwhelming, and caution can be confused with fear. A leader’s impact on others is magnified and so leaders need to be mindful of others whilst behaving in a way true to themselves.
3 Books to read:
Why Has No-one Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith
The Antidote by Oliver Burkeman
The Road Back To You by Cron and Stable
2 TED Talks to listen to:
1 film to watch: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Conclusion
For those of us who tend to lean towards self-criticism, external praise and recognition can become too prized. This is especially hard in leadership as the reality is that leaders are usually the one giving praise, rather than receiving it. This means that strong leaders need to be resilient and have a deep rooted sense of self-worth. There are tools to accomplish this: many rely on journaling, reflecting, or coaching and there is always one simple solution: to just not care about what others think at all.
While I certainly wouldn’t recommend this as a leadership trait, it is worth remembering that there is no artist, author, leader or person on earth who is universally liked. However, by fully exploring what makes us unique in terms of our purpose, vision, values and self, we will learn to like ourselves more. It is this self reflection and acceptance that will build our leadership roots to anchor us and give us the strength to weather any leadership storm.
