The 4 Qualities of People Who Lead With Authenticity
Authentic leadership is a leadership style that focuses on ethical and transparent behavior, encouraging open communication and sharing information with those who need them. Many leaders are adopting this style of leadership. However, it may take time, effort, and resources to develop authentic leaders.
Here are four qualities of leaders who lead with authenticity:
- Self-aware
Self-awareness could help you consciously understand your character, behavior, and motives, and how they affect others. You know that if you show up to work with a grumpy attitude, it would cause others to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Your attitude at work can significantly impact the people around you.
Being self-aware can help you manage your stress and behavioral issues. If you are easily stressed over something, you would do your best to avoid scenarios that could lead to stressful situations. As a result, you could make better decisions under any circumstance and motivate others to do the same.
- Transparent
To be transparent you should not be afraid to show your limitations and flaws. You should not pretend to be someone you are not. This helps you become more authentic in front of others because you have nothing to worry about doing something opposite to what you say, or doing something that will send the wrong impression.
Transparency also cultivates open communication, trust, and honesty. You can only be a great leader if you know how to communicate unpleasant truths. In leadership, you will encounter many difficult situations, and you should be transparent enough to relay them to other members of your organization.
Moreover, transparent leadership encourages team members to share their ideas and thoughts about a particular situation or subject because they know you welcome them. Sharing of ideas leads to collaboration and ultimately to business success.
- Humble
To be a good leader, you need to know your limitations and not be ashamed to admit them. You should also not be afraid to make mistakes, admit your mistakes, and accept corrections. If you are a humble person, these can't be that hard to do.
Humility allows you to better understand and empathize with others. You know that others will have limitations too and you don't criticize them for that. Instead, you are willing to listen to their ideas and suggestions without prejudice.
When team members see you as a humble leader, they will not be afraid to collaborate with you. It creates an environment where individuals with various capabilities and levels of expertise will be motivated to work together instead of hiding themselves because they are afraid their voices will not be heard.
- Consistent
Inconsistency often leads to misunderstandings, and misunderstandings to chaos. An inconsistent person says something but does the opposite. You can't trust that kind of person because it's hard to predict what they want.
On the other hand, consistency is when you say something and follow it through with your actions. In a business setting, if you say what your goal is, your actions should be consistent toward achieving those goals. This helps your team members to have a clear picture of what should be and where you are heading, and they can act accordingly.
It's easy to trust a consistent person. In the same way, it's easy to trust a leader who shows consistency whether in words or actions.
Developing the qualities of a leader who leads with authenticity will not happen overnight. You have to exert effort and self-discipline to develop them. There are online resources and programs designed to help develop people to lead with authenticity. It may take time before you can be considered an authentic leader, but the results will be worth it.