Who is an Authentic Leader?

In our days CEO’s and leaders, they have been focused more on the stock market and their shareholders rather than their employees & customers. They have lost their Purpose and is a necessity for a new Leadership Model, which is Leaders with Authenticity.  We need leaders who motivate, inspire, engage, empower their employees, serve their customers by leading primarily with their heart as well as their head too (Bill George). 

We need organizations to focus more on the character & personality of the leader and not on the style of the leader that they want to hire.

Authentic Leaders are not born but they can be made! (Avolio).  Is in terms of Personality, Character, leadership Style and Perspective.  Leaders can be Authentic by accepting their shadow side of their self with the failures, mistakes & weaknesses that might have, by being Authentic with them.

The qualities and elements that Authentic Leaders should have:

1. Understand their Purpose; what are your passions?
2. Act according to their Values & Behavior
3. Leading with their heart (the longest trip that you have to make is from your head to your heart (Bill George)
4. Show Compassion & Empathy
5. Create Relationships and a network; be open to connect.
6. Have Self-Awareness 

For an Authentic Leader what is important in his/her life is the “Journey that is following and not the Destination” (Avolio & Gardner). During that leadership journey with crisis, unexpected moments, and failures he/she can understand who they are and what they want to do.  They should be honest, authentic, and clear with their selves about that.

They should share their life story with their people, to be open with them, to admit their failures and share their experiences & knowledge that they get. Moreover, to not try to pretend to be someone that they are not. By doing that they build a true connection that drives commitment, credibility, and trust with their people.

How Leaders can Become Authentic?

• By accepting their selves and be open to growth. 

• By characterized of self-knowing and be comfortable with their weaknesses and learning from their failures.

• By living with their Values

• By creating Authentic connections-relationships with their work environment

• By developing their selves well enough for being able to use their leaderships skills for serving others. 

Why someone to be Authentic?

If you are Authentic can help to engagement, motivation, commitment, and trust as you are honest with your people, society, and stakeholders of an organization.

The reward is to have a fulfilling life that brings a meaning & a reason to exist that drives you to innovation & creativity by giving to other people.  An element that you have to consider by being Authentic is to set boundaries and red lines to your professional & personal life according to your Purpose & Values. 

Furthermore, the development of Authentic Leadership entails a reciprocal and iterative process, where leaders and followers develop each other in terms of self-awareness, ethical reasoning, balanced processing, transparency, and positivity.

Authentic Leaders are persons who have achieved high levels of Authenticity in that they know who they are, what they believe and value, and they act upon those values and beliefs while transparently interacting with others.  Are those leaders who are deeply aware of how they think, act, and behave (growth mindset) and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others’ values/moral perspective, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and high on moral character. (Avolio).  Authentic Leaders act in accordance with deep personal values and convictions, to build credibility and win the respect and trust of followers by encouraging diverse viewpoints and building networks of collaborative relationships with followers, and thereby lead in a manner that followers recognize as Authentic.