Authentic leaders create clear pathways for their team to follow.
It is impossible for others to believe in you unless you believe in yourself. Know yourself first – what are your strengths and weaknesses? Allow the team you work with to understand you better. People love to see humility and feel empathy. When people can feel your care and authenticity, they mirror this and relationships strengthen instantly. You become easier to follow, as do your goals and visions for the team. The power of the team also increases through genuine connection, and ultimately, performance levels skyrocket.
The authentic leader empowers team members to think more clearly and confidently about the possibilities for the future. The power of the team grows. As the leader, you become driven and more likely to innovate.
One of the greatest outcomes of humility is the loss of an ego. Someone who can’t control their ego is either protecting the past or perceiving the future. They are always defending and rarely live in the present. The power they seek over others is a weakness disguised as a strength. Sometimes this is an unconscious trait.
Some time ago while working with the CEO of a company, I had what was initially an uncomfortable conversation. We had been working together to improve the performance of the management team.
After a number of discussions, I realised that the leader could increase the performance of the team through more humility and less ego. Following some deeper evaluation and understanding, the CEO listened and took on the advice. The results were outstandingly positive for the team and the CEO collectively.
It takes courage to be authentic. Sometimes the toughest conversations we need to have are with ourselves. Authenticity builds belief in ourselves which allows us to be resilient, allows us to trust more and be trusted simultaneously. All of which leads to better outcomes for ourselves and our teams.