YBB Newsletter

Authentic leadership has been around over a decade now, but it’s a leadership shift I believe we’ve still not got the measure of.

What I have observed is that our version of authenticity, instead of freeing us (as it was intended to do), actually restricts us. 

Authenticity has unintentionally become this armour: 

• A way to avoid doing hard things.

• An excuse for attitudes or behaviours that make people feel uncomfortable or undermine team performance.

• A story we tell ourselves that keeps us from feeling like we belong.

So here’s the question I am unpacking today:
Is your definition of authenticity helping you grow — or keeping you safe?

Authenticity isn’t only about being yourself

Authenticity is one of those fat words and we can choose how we define it. 

Often I notice it being defined as “being natural” or “being myself.”

Here’s how I see these playing out as limiting new managers and leaders:

• When being authentic = doing what feels natural, the behaviours that flow are doing what we already know and what we have learnt to feel comfortable with.

• Similarly when being authentic = being myself, what people often mean is acting in accordance with a learned version of themselves - one that suited some past role / organisation. 

But growth is inherently uncomfortable. 

And leadership will require us to act in ways that feel unfamiliar, because it’s about stepping into new levels of influence, responsibility and visibility. 

Authentic leadership isn’t about being fixed in who you are. It’s about staying anchored to your values while allowing your leadership style to evolve.

For example, you like to use humour. Humour is likely a tool you use to reflect your desire to connect and put people at ease.

There might be situations as a leader where humour isn’t appropriate but you can use other ways to connect and put people at ease, such as asking how something important to them went.

It’s about being authentic within the context you’re in

When I was a researcher I was obsessive about communicating the cultural context to clients. This wasn’t fluffy opening charts, it was business critical information to help brands build a voice / product / experience that resonated with the world they were in. Dissonance was always a red flag. 

And it’s no different with leaders. Leaders don’t operate in a vacuum, they are part of teams and organisations that have a culture. 

They need to find ways to show up… that BOTH fit with what the context requires AND don’t feel like they go against who you are? 

I always say that coaching is more about RANGE than CHANGE. And this is a great example of this - leadership isn’t asking you to change who you are, to become less or un-you, but it is asking you to flex, evolve and adapt. 

3 Ideas for Getting Started

If you suspect your version of authenticity might be keeping you stuck, try this instead:

1. Name your values
   Ask yourself: What do I want to be known for as a leader? Pick three words (e.g. curiosity, clarity, compassion) and let them guide your next uncomfortable situation.
   

2. Practice intentional authenticity.
   Before defaulting to “this doesn’t feel like me,” pause. Ask: Is this behaviour in conflict with my values — or just unfamiliar?
   

3. Reflect on your defaults.
   Are you avoiding certain situations in the name of “being you”? Are you resisting clarity, authority, or structure because it feels unnatural?
   Make a list of “authenticity habits” that might be unhelpful.

Authenticity is messy

It’s far more complex than it sounds to show up as your authentic self. If you’d like support on leading authentically, then I can work with you to:

• Explore your values.

• Connect these with your organisation’s values.

• Identify & practice new behaviours you can deploy to show up both authentically and with impact even in uncomfortable / unfamiliar situations.

• So that you can embrace new leadership situations with a little more ease.

I am now enrolling new clients for January. Get in touch at [email protected] to find out more.

Thank you for reading.

Keep burning bright - not out x