Thought I would give you a taste of my book "Waking the Working Dead." This excerpt is from Chapter 9.
THE POWER OF AUTHENTICITY
Let’s now explore how we move to practicing authentic behaviors. First, remember that authentic influence applies to everyone. Whether you are an entry-level receptionist or the CEO. Far too often, we buy into the lie that this mind-set is exclusive to high-level executives. I remember a time when an associate engaged me in a robust discussion about authentic leadership. He had a variety of opinions about the subject. Boy was I shocked! John was an inquisitive guy, but rarely had we spoke about such things. He had a history of not taking “no” for an answer. He also questioned everything, with a strong opinion to boot. As we began the conversation, I passionately spoke of the importance of authenticity. He really wanted to agree, however it was obvious that he didn’t grasp the concept. More than likely his experiences reflected what most of us have endured. I told him that the essence of my concept was diversity, the kind of diversity where everyone’s voice (not their skin color) really matters. After our spirited discussion, he realized that I truly wanted the group to be originals and not replicas. Strange science, since he’d been asked to be a duplicate under so many past leaders.
Allowing people to be authentic gave me a reputation of being a little over the top, but my people were always the better for it. Think about it, do we really want an environment where fakes are the norm? Most people I’ve led want the opportunity to be themselves (while doing their best in their area of expertise). Organizations blow it when they don’t encourage authentic behaviors. It’s the authentic leaders who produce the greatest results. Name one organization where fakes carried the day. You would probably need to check the bankruptcy filings to find them. When you evaluate an environment, work or otherwise, make sure it embraces authentic behaviors—like honest communication and courage under fire.
I think of authenticity on the part of a leader in terms of vulnerability verses transparency. We have often been taught transparency is a desired skill for a leader, and we become proficient at transparency… creating “transparent walls” – walls that allow others to see but not touch. Genuine authenticity allows you not only to see, but also to touch, or speak into my life. It certainly welcomes honest communication and requires unusual courage.
My experiences indicate it takes courage to be authentic. Futhermore authentic behavior must be rewarded in order to develop and spread. And that is not all, an authentic mistake must also be at least tolerated and best of all if there is an “honest” example of one by a senior manager so that all see that an authentic mistake need not be critical.