BUSINESS & LIFE: Authentic Leadership

Happy, Blessed and Spirit-Filled Pentecost!  May the Holy Spirit embolden you to live your best life and fulfil God’s purpose in your life.

This week, we focus on “Authentic Leadership”.  We explore the tenets of the concept.  Authenticity is about being true to one self, it is about consistently being the same person, whether at home, work, school, church or play.  It is, according to Bill George “being yourself, the person you were created to be”.  The concept of “authentic leadership”, takes a different look from the traditional view of leadership.  The traditional view focuses on styles of leadership; the authentic view focuses on quality of leadership.  This view argues that great leaders can be found utilising any style; it is what they bring to the leadership table and how they lead that makes the difference.  It is being true to self.  It is learning from others without imitating them.  It is about confidence in oneself to show people, especially those you lead the true you.

Bill George, the author of “Authentic Leadership”, argues that from his research great leaders exhibited five main qualities.  These qualities are not acquired sequentially but are continuously being developed. Leadership then is not a destination; it is a journey. Authentic leaders:

1. Understand their purpose – authentic leaders understand their God-given purpose.  They know or seek to answer the questions “Why am I here? What are my unique gifts and talents? How do/can I best use these gifts and talents? What is my passion?”  Understanding one’s purpose gives one direction.  It provides the vision with which one lead. It is said that a people without a vision perisheth, the same applies to leaders.  Leaders without purpose succumb to the ills of ego, the trappings of power and eventually perisheth.
2. Practise solid values – values are personal, shaped by family and societal norms and developed by training and experience.  One enduring value of all authentic leaders is integrity.  It is the speaking the full truth, no matter the costs.  Our values are our moral compass, which gives us a sense of right and wrong; which instinctively tells us what is the right thing to do in any circumstance.  It is as Bill George calls it, our “true north” of our moral compass.  All authentic leaders possess a strong moral compass. It enables us to put the interests of the company and others above self.
3. Lead with the heart – leading with the heart is again being true to self.  It is about leading by example with passion and integrity.  It is not being afraid to show your vulnerable side to others. It is having a strong sense of one’s strength, understanding one’s weaknesses and unafraid of one’s emotions.  When we lead from the heart we draw others to our purpose/vision/mission by our sheer strength and faith in our purpose.
4. Establish connected relationships – the capacity to develop close and enduring relationships is a mark of a true leader.  A leader has to connect to people’s heart.  You connect to people’s heart by caring, being available and supportive.  Once people know that you care, they give it back to you.  They follow you where you lead; they “have your back”.  It is like those we love and we know they love us; we forgive their shortcomings because we know their intent for us is good.
5. Demonstrate self discipline – Discipline, I often say is one of the key elements of success.  It is the self-discipline that allows you to make the sacrifices to achieve your goals.  This discipline is critical in leadership.  It allows one to focus on the long-term rather than only the present; it provides the courage to take a principled stand even at personal costs.  It allows us to persevere in the face of challenges and difficulties and to see and grasp the opportunities presented by the challenges.

One question I always pose to people in leadership, whether they are supervisors, managers, executive managers, board members, ministers of government or church, is “What would you want your legacy to be?”  The answer to that question is personal and dependent solely on the individual.  The answer will also determine the type of leader you are or become.  That said, authentic leaders make a positive difference, they strive for excellence, cognisant that excellence is not perfection, they lead by example, they care for others and their community.  They are genuine.  They are real.  They are men and women of integrity, and this is the foundation for good governance.

Until we meet again, may God continue to keep us in the Palm of His Hands.

Valda Frederica Henry, VF Inc.’s CEO and Principal Trainer is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Certified Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR), Certified Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Practitioner, holds a PhD in Industrial Relations & Business, a Masters in Business Administration and a BSc Management Studies. VF Inc. is a Human Resource & Finance Consultancy firm with a Training and Recruitment arm, and the producer and host of a live TV program “The Cutting Edge of Business”.