What does it mean to be an authentic leader?
We’re past the point in society where we’re expected to be one way at work and another in our lives. Now we’re all talking about being our authentic selves – always. But it’s not necessarily easy, and there’s a lot to it, especially for leaders.
We wanted to get to the bottom of what it really means to be an authentic leader and recently spoke to four exceptional leaders about how they bring their whole selves to the table and to their teams.
This is an excerpt from a live Q&A. Join our community to make sure you don’t miss the next event!
Before we get started, can you tell us a little more about yourselves?
Sam: I’m Samuel Bevan, International Head of Emerging Business Solutions, and my team advises on advertising strategies for businesses of all sizes.
Albert: I’m Albert de Symons Azis-Clauson, co-founder and CEO at UnderPinned, which is a career platform for freelancers. I’m really passionate about helping freelancers turn their passion into business.
Kate: I’m Kate Bodrova, Founder & CEO Fast & Easy Learning Center which is an international online school with 100 people on my team. I’m also the Co-Founder of Amazy.
Rani: I’m Rani Nagpal, the Chief Marketing Officer at Polymath. I’m also a Strategic Advisor, and my main expertise has been in building successful startups, and now I advise pre-seed and Seed and Series A startups on all things related to scaling.
What does authentic leadership mean to you?
Sam: When I talk about authentic leadership, I believe it’s about bringing your true, empathetic self to work. I think increasingly – and especially even for traditional industries and after the pandemic – the separation between work and home has become very blurry. For people to strive in the modern-day, we need people who can lead with a genuine, authentic approach. I believe that over time, people are only going to be able to thrive if they’re being their true selves. While this is especially true for leaders – if you’re authentic, your teams are more likely to be, too, but it is a two-way street.
Albert: For me, it’s quite simple: to build a positive and authentic company culture, see people’s personalities as assets rather than focusing purely on professionalism. When you do that, not only are you encouraging authenticity, but you are also cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment.
Kate: The online education platform I’ve built relies on authenticity to function – educators and learned are matched on personality types which means everyone needs to be their true selves. And to be your true self – to tell people who you are – is a brave thing to do because you don’t know how you’ll be received. But if you accept yourself for who you are, and you accept others for who they are, it’s a nicer environment for everyone to be in.
Rani: As a CMO and advisor to early-stage start-ups, I work to get the founding team aligned on their company values, which I think are deeply linked to who they are as people. And when things are rocky and the process gets tough, can they stay true to these values? They’re like an anchor. And if you’re not authentic about those values, it’s hard to get the team aligned on them.
Have you ever found it difficult to be authentic in political situations?
Sam: I think the word ‘politics’ in the workplace is overused and misunderstood, where it just means conflict. Part of becoming an authentic leader is becoming someone who can deal with conflict, and is someone who can compromise. Many people shy away from these moments in their careers, but I’ve realised that I’m learning the most when people are challenging my views.
I think ultimately politics don’t remove authenticity from workplaces – it’s how you deal with that that grows your authenticity.
Now with everything moving online, do you think authentic leadership can be enacted in a virtual team? How?
Kate: Of course. At the end of the day, it’s all about talking to people. It’s about being open, dedicating yourself to your team, appreciating them, asking about their personal lives – you know, asking how the family is going?
Building an emotional connection with your team is important as there are other things going on in their lives that influence how they work, and that’s okay. So maybe once a month we have a conversation about non-business related things, which is an opportunity to deepen that emotional connection and build trust. When we have that, we know we can rely on each other – whether there’s a screen between us or not. It just requires energy, the exchanging of emotion and time. And that should start with you.
What happens to authenticity when there’s been a breakdown of trust?
Albert: This happens a lot in start-ups because everyone is on fire half the time. I’ve found the moment people get stressed or annoyed with each other is the moment they stop talking to each other, and that’s really the moment they need to. This happens whether it’s a big or small deal, and it’s even more difficult when working remotely.
I think it’s even more important that the people involved in the trust breach have a conversation as soon as possible – it’s rare that when you actually talk it through that you’ll leave still resenting the other person. More often than not, you’re both stressed and just needing to hear the other person’s perspective. The authenticity breakdown comes when there’s a communication breakdown. Seeking to resolve a conflict is scary and vulnerable but it’s authentic – and ultimately trust can be rebuilt.
If you’re looking for more resources on authentic leadership, or authenticity in the workplace and in your life, we recommend:
How Much of Your “Authentic Self” Should You Really Bring to Work? by Susan McPherson
How to Bring Your Whole Self to Work by Mike Robbins
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown
How to Be Yourself and Why It Matters by Stephen Joseph
Connect with Samuel Bevan, Albert de Symons Azis-Clauson, Ekaterina Bodrova, Rani Nagpal and join the Together in tech for event updates.
