Are You an Authentic Leader?

What does it mean to be an authentic leader? 

Let’s start with what it doesn’t mean: Being nice. Having a stated purpose. Collective decision-making. Inclusivity. 

These are all, in my view, characteristics of many effective leaders. Leaders with those traits are probably the kind of leaders you want to work for, and ideally, to be. But being a good person does not mean you are an authentic leader – and being a difficult taskmaster or even a flat out jerk does not make you inauthentic.

In fact, in this era of performative, PR-sculpted narratives, I think we’ve missed the point of what authenticity means altogether: It means owning who you or your organization truly is, and telling that story. It means being honest about what your company stands for and not proclaiming certain virtues and values if they don’t actually align with your organization’s objectives, just because they are fashionable. It means knowing your story and sticking to it. 

For example, if you run an investment bank whose commitment to client service and leverage model means that your employees regularly pull all-nighters – and are compensated for doing so – don’t wax on about how warm and inclusive your culture is. It probably isn’t. But it attracts people who think that working those hours are worth what they earn. Lean into that. 

If you helm a company where remote working truly makes more sense than going into the office – or one where office culture boosts productivity – lean into that. If your company is known for staying out of political issues, don’t try to have it both ways. The best way to be an authentic leader is not to appeal to the average; it’s to appeal to those who share your actual values – and then go live them.