Leadership Thought #308 – Leadership Is About Authenticity Not Technique
The best leaders leverage authenticity.
When you lead people, it is critical to be true to who you are. Employees will quickly notice if you are trying to be someone you are not. When you are your authentic self, you are more likely to be effective in whatever you do. Leadership is not just about technique and tools. It is about being the best version of yourself (whatever that means) and seeing important things through to fruition.
Despite the opinions expressed in many books on the topic, there is no perfect personality profile of a leader. I have seen all types of individuals thrive under the mantle of leadership. I’ve observed people who look impressive on paper struggle when they attempt to step up and lead.
Passion is everything when it comes to being a great leader. As the saying goes, “If the ‘Why’ is big enough, the ‘How’ doesn’t matter.” You can’t fake passion, at least not for an extended period. There needs to be something you tap into that motivates you besides personal gratification to accomplish anything important.
Focus is also imperative if you want to lead others. You need to know where you are going and the best route to get there. People need a sense of destination and direction. Great leaders don’t make it up as they go along. They adhere to a well-defined route to success, maintaining a laser-like concentration.
Commitment is also critical if you want to achieve anything of consequence. You can never be partially committed to making a difference or being successful. Multiple distractions and temptations will constantly try to derail your progress. You must have the commitment necessary to stay the course and keep moving toward your vision.
Persistence is also necessary. Life will inevitably test the strength of your commitment. You may get lucky sometimes, but often you must persist through adversity. Everyone stumbles. Leaders intuitively know they must pick themselves up and keep moving forward regardless of the obstacles and naysayers.
I reiterate that no single personality profile maximizes a person’s ability to be passionate, focused, committed, and persistent. However, I would argue that you can’t fake any of these things, and certainly not the combination. People can detect a lack of authenticity. When you are true to yourself, genuinely believe in what you are doing, leverage your existing strengths, and tap into the natural energy that exists to help you get there, anything is possible. Leadership is about authenticity, not technique.
Related articles
- 3 Nonnegotiable Traits of a Leader (chadbrodrick.com)
- The Nature of Good Leadership (innerwealthblog.com)
- Leadership: Being True To Who You Are (chadbrodrick.com)
- Leadership Credibility: The Right To Lead? (coachstationsteve.com)
- The 5 C’s of Passion Driven Leadership (angelamaiers.com)
- Seeing Everyone You Lead As A Volunteer (garyrunn.com)
- Leadership Competencies (fireofficermentor.com)
- Trait theory of leadership (slideshare.net)
