Authentic LeadersAuthentic Leaders

Adapted from Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, “Managing Adapted from Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones, “Managing Authenticity: Authenticity: The paradox of Great LeadershipThe paradox of Great Leadership”, in ”, in HBRHBR, ,

December 2005, p.87December 2005, p.87--9494

INTRODUCTIONINTRODUCTION

To attract followers, a leader To attract followers, a leader has to be many things to many has to be many things to many

people.people.

The trick is to pull that of, while The trick is to pull that of, while remaining true to yourself.remaining true to yourself.

LeadershipLeadership

•• Demands the expression of the authentic Demands the expression of the authentic selfself

•• People want to be led by someone “real”People want to be led by someone “real”

AuthenticityAuthenticity•• Associated with sincerity, honesty and integrityAssociated with sincerity, honesty and integrity•• The attribute that uniquely defines great leadersThe attribute that uniquely defines great leaders•• Often misunderstood, not least by the leaders Often misunderstood, not least by the leaders

themselvesthemselves•• Not an innate quality but one others attribute to youNot an innate quality but one others attribute to you

•• A person cannot be authentic on his or her ownA person cannot be authentic on his or her own•• Largely defined by what others see in you and as such to Largely defined by what others see in you and as such to

a great extent controlled by youa great extent controlled by you•• Not a product of pure manipulationNot a product of pure manipulation•• Accurately reflects aspects of the leader’s inner self and Accurately reflects aspects of the leader’s inner self and

so it cannot be an actso it cannot be an act

Great LeadersGreat Leaders•• Like chameleons adapting to the situation and yet do Like chameleons adapting to the situation and yet do

not lose their identitiesnot lose their identities•• Know which personality traits they should reveal to Know which personality traits they should reveal to

whom and whenwhom and when•• Focused on where they are going but never lose sight of Focused on where they are going but never lose sight of

where they come fromwhere they come from•• Rely on their intuitions to understand the expectations Rely on their intuitions to understand the expectations

and concerns of people they want to influenceand concerns of people they want to influence•• Retain their distinctiveness as individuals, but able to Retain their distinctiveness as individuals, but able to

adapt to the corporate and social cultures and influence adapt to the corporate and social cultures and influence changechange

The study of authenticity The study of authenticity •• A better understanding of the relationship between the A better understanding of the relationship between the

expression of self and the exercise of leadershipexpression of self and the exercise of leadership•• Leaders who manage their authenticity will be more Leaders who manage their authenticity will be more

effective and able to energize and retain loyal followerseffective and able to energize and retain loyal followers

MANAGING THE MANAGING THE PERCEPTIONPERCEPTION

Establishing your authenticity Establishing your authenticity as a leaderas a leader

•• A twoA two--part challengepart challenge1.1. Ensure that your words are consistent with your Ensure that your words are consistent with your

deeds deeds –– being consistent and practicing what you preachbeing consistent and practicing what you preach2.2. Getting people to relate to you by finding common Getting people to relate to you by finding common

ground with your followers ground with your followers –– presenting different faces to presenting different faces to different audiences without faking it or being insinceredifferent audiences without faking it or being insincere

Playing Multiple RolesPlaying Multiple Roles•• ““All the world’s a stage … and one man in his time plays many All the world’s a stage … and one man in his time plays many

parts.”parts.” ShakespeareShakespeare•• Role playing doesn’t have to be fake or insincereRole playing doesn’t have to be fake or insincere•• Demands a lot of thought and workDemands a lot of thought and work•• “I want to be me, but I am channelling parts of me to context. “I want to be me, but I am channelling parts of me to context.

What you get is a segment of me. It is not a fabrication or a What you get is a segment of me. It is not a fabrication or a facade facade –– just the bits that are relevant for that situation.”just the bits that are relevant for that situation.”

Steps to take to help others Steps to take to help others perceive you as a authentic perceive you as a authentic

leaderleader

Involve building up knowledge about your Involve building up knowledge about your true self and learning more about otherstrue self and learning more about others

Establishing Your Authenticity Establishing Your Authenticity (1)(1)

Get to know yourself and your origins better by:Get to know yourself and your origins better by:•• Explore your autobiography:Explore your autobiography: Familiarize yourself with Familiarize yourself with

your identity anchors your identity anchors –– the people, places and events the people, places and events that shape you; share then with others who have similar that shape you; share then with others who have similar experienceexperience

•• Return to your roots:Return to your roots: Meet old friends; spend time way Meet old friends; spend time way from the normal trappings of the officefrom the normal trappings of the office

•• Avoiding comfort zones: Avoiding comfort zones: Step out of your routines, Step out of your routines, seek new adventures, and take some risksseek new adventures, and take some risks

•• Getting honest feedback:Getting honest feedback: Ask for 360 degree feedback Ask for 360 degree feedback from close friends, colleagues, friends and familyfrom close friends, colleagues, friends and family

Establishing Your Authenticity Establishing Your Authenticity (2)(2)

Get to know others better by:Get to know others better by:•• Building a rich picture of your environment: Building a rich picture of your environment: Find out Find out

more about people’s background, biographies, families; more about people’s background, biographies, families; don’t have a onedon’t have a one--dimensional view dimensional view

•• Removing barriers between yourself and others: Removing barriers between yourself and others: Selectively show a weakness or vulnerability that reveals Selectively show a weakness or vulnerability that reveals your approachability to your coyour approachability to your co--workersworkers

•• Empathising passionately with your people: Empathising passionately with your people: Care Care deeply about the work your people dodeeply about the work your people do

•• Letting other know what’s unique (and authentic) Letting other know what’s unique (and authentic) about them: about them: Give people feedback that acknowledges Give people feedback that acknowledges and validates their originsand validates their origins

Establish Your Authenticity (3)Establish Your Authenticity (3)

Getting to the organizational context better by:Getting to the organizational context better by:•• Getting the right distance: Getting the right distance: Beware of creating the wrong first Beware of creating the wrong first

impression; use both your sense of self and your understanding oimpression; use both your sense of self and your understanding of f your origins to connect with or separate yourself from others your origins to connect with or separate yourself from others

•• Sharpening your social antenna: Sharpening your social antenna: Seek new experiences to Seek new experiences to help you detect subtle social clues to attract followershelp you detect subtle social clues to attract followers

•• Honouring deeply held values and social mores: Honouring deeply held values and social mores: Make Make connections by honouring other cultures’ strongly held beliefsconnections by honouring other cultures’ strongly held beliefs

•• Developing your resilience: Developing your resilience: Prepare yourself by learning about Prepare yourself by learning about and understanding your own valuesand understanding your own values

Know Yourself and OthersKnow Yourself and Others

Complexity of LeadershipComplexity of Leadership•• Exercise of leadership requires both skills and practiceExercise of leadership requires both skills and practice•• A leader develop an extensive repertoire of roles which make A leader develop an extensive repertoire of roles which make

him/her seem very different to different people in different him/her seem very different to different people in different situations situations

•• Without this, a leader recruits only those with whom he/she Without this, a leader recruits only those with whom he/she already share some common groundalready share some common ground

Wielding complexity effectivelyWielding complexity effectively

•• Requires a degree of selfRequires a degree of self--knowledge and the knowledge and the willingness and ability to share the selfwillingness and ability to share the self--knowledge with othersknowledge with others

•• Engaged in selfEngaged in self--expression and selfexpression and self--disclosuredisclosure

How authentic leaders How authentic leaders acquire the attributesacquire the attributes

1. Keeping their goals simple1. Keeping their goals simple•• Try to accomplish no more than 3 or 4 big goals at a timeTry to accomplish no more than 3 or 4 big goals at a time•• Unwavering about them Unwavering about them –– doesn’t question them anymore doesn’t question them anymore

than he/she question himself/herselfthan he/she question himself/herself•• Goals are connected in some way to one or another of the Goals are connected in some way to one or another of the

leader’s authentic selfleader’s authentic self•• The pursuit of goals and how they are communicated to the The pursuit of goals and how they are communicated to the

followers is intense, promoting selffollowers is intense, promoting self--disclosure disclosure

2. Keep people who give honest 2. Keep people who give honest feedback close to themfeedback close to them

•• Leaders more open to truths about themselves and their Leaders more open to truths about themselves and their relationships with othersrelationships with others

•• Sharpening their skills in disclosing their Emotional Sharpening their skills in disclosing their Emotional Intelligence (EQ) they already haveIntelligence (EQ) they already have

3. Recognize which aspects of 3. Recognize which aspects of their authentic selves their authentic selves particular groups of followers particular groups of followers are looking forare looking for

•• Great leaders have highly developed social antennasGreat leaders have highly developed social antennas•• They use a complex web of cognitive and observational skills They use a complex web of cognitive and observational skills

to recognize what followers are consciously and to recognize what followers are consciously and unconsciously signalling to themunconsciously signalling to them

SkillsSkills•• Some or born with them and others can learn themSome or born with them and others can learn them•• People with a great deal of occupational mobility possess these People with a great deal of occupational mobility possess these

skills to a higher degree than those who stayed mostly in one skills to a higher degree than those who stayed mostly in one placeplace

•• Exposure to a wide range of experiences enhances ability to readExposure to a wide range of experiences enhances ability to readand empathize with different people and situationand empathize with different people and situation

•• Experiences outside of an individual’s comfort zone can also Experiences outside of an individual’s comfort zone can also sharpen social awarenesssharpen social awareness

USE WHERE YOU USE WHERE YOU COME FROMCOME FROM

OriginsOrigins•• Oxford English Dictionary defines authenticity in part as “of Oxford English Dictionary defines authenticity in part as “of

undisputed origin”undisputed origin”•• A leader’s authenticity is closely linked to his/her originsA leader’s authenticity is closely linked to his/her origins•• A leader establishes authenticity by effectively managing the A leader establishes authenticity by effectively managing the

relationship with his/her past and his/her followers’ connectionrelationship with his/her past and his/her followers’ connections s to their rootsto their roots

Personal HistoriesPersonal Histories•• Authentic leaders use them to establish Authentic leaders use them to establish

common ground with their followers by common ground with their followers by displaying something of their originsdisplaying something of their origins

•• Pride in one’s roots must be handled with Pride in one’s roots must be handled with care care -- a leader’s heritage might be intimidating or a leader’s heritage might be intimidating or offensive to staffoffensive to staff

•• Authentic leaders stay curious and open to Authentic leaders stay curious and open to their followers’ origins and make them feel their followers’ origins and make them feel comfortable with their rootscomfortable with their roots

Cultural DifferencesCultural Differences•• People frame their backgrounds in different ways People frame their backgrounds in different ways •• There are differences among and within culturesThere are differences among and within cultures•• People define themselves in terms of gender, class, race, People define themselves in terms of gender, class, race,

status and geography and expressed through dress, status and geography and expressed through dress, speech, food and even different styles of walkingspeech, food and even different styles of walking

•• We need to be cautious about making simple We need to be cautious about making simple generalizations about status and societiesgeneralizations about status and societies

Status in societiesStatus in societies•• Ascribed status Ascribed status –– attributes innate to particular attributes innate to particular

individualsindividuals•• Achieved status Achieved status –– attributes and roles that individuals attributes and roles that individuals

attain through their own effortsattain through their own efforts•• American society places greater emphasis in American society places greater emphasis in

achieved status, while in other societies liked the achieved status, while in other societies liked the French and the Chinese, elite status remains fixedFrench and the Chinese, elite status remains fixed

The variability of social statusThe variability of social status•• Important implications for authentic leadersImportant implications for authentic leaders•• George W. Bush a YaleGeorge W. Bush a Yale--educated Yankee educated Yankee

aristocrat can pose as a regular guy from Texas aristocrat can pose as a regular guy from Texas and be believed because Americans will accept and be believed because Americans will accept that he can transform himself and they will that he can transform himself and they will respect his aspiration to do sorespect his aspiration to do so

•• This metamorphosis wouldn’t seem authentic in This metamorphosis wouldn’t seem authentic in Britain Britain –– for the working class voter, once an aristocrat, for the working class voter, once an aristocrat, always an aristocratalways an aristocrat

A Man For All SeasonsA Man For All Seasons•• Critics of Tony Blair often contend that he moves between Critics of Tony Blair often contend that he moves between

different, contradictory selves without any central personal different, contradictory selves without any central personal beliefs because of his desire to maximize his personal beliefs because of his desire to maximize his personal appealappeal

•• In fact it is his consummate skill in managing his In fact it is his consummate skill in managing his authenticity authenticity

•• His behaviour in a single dramatic week in early July His behaviour in a single dramatic week in early July exemplified how well he does thisexemplified how well he does this

•• The week began with Bob Geldof inspired Live 8 pop The week began with Bob Geldof inspired Live 8 pop concert to raise awareness of poverty in Africaconcert to raise awareness of poverty in Africa

•• Followed by a trip to Singapore to lobby the IOC which Followed by a trip to Singapore to lobby the IOC which ended up with the successful 2012 Olympic Games bidended up with the successful 2012 Olympic Games bid

•• Attended the G8 Summit in ScotlandAttended the G8 Summit in Scotland•• Dealt with terrorist bombings in London Dealt with terrorist bombings in London

•• In each instance, Blair played different roles to attract In each instance, Blair played different roles to attract followers in different waysfollowers in different ways

•• Despite the different behaviours Blair communicated a Despite the different behaviours Blair communicated a core self core self –– he always connected with his his known he always connected with his his known personal passions personal passions –– for pop music, sporty, elimination of for pop music, sporty, elimination of poverty in Africa and the defeat of terrorismpoverty in Africa and the defeat of terrorism

•• “People turn admiring when they observe (Blair) capacity to lead“People turn admiring when they observe (Blair) capacity to lead, , articulate, and mould critical political moments.”articulate, and mould critical political moments.”

Authentic LeadersAuthentic Leaders•• Comfortable with their skinsComfortable with their skins•• Know where they come from and who they areKnow where they come from and who they are•• Know how to use their backgrounds to build a Know how to use their backgrounds to build a

rapport with their followersrapport with their followers•• Not threatened by people with other origins Not threatened by people with other origins ––

they welcome themthey welcome them•• Sensitive in communicating their origins and are Sensitive in communicating their origins and are

aware of the differences in cultural attitudes aware of the differences in cultural attitudes toward their backgroundstoward their backgrounds

““I speak to everyone in the same I speak to everyone in the same way, whether he the garbage man way, whether he the garbage man or the president of the university.”or the president of the university.”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

CONFORM CONFORM ––BUT ONLY JUST BUT ONLY JUST

ENOUGHENOUGH

Authentic LeadersAuthentic Leaders

•• Must judge just how much they need to conform to Must judge just how much they need to conform to social and organizational normssocial and organizational norms

•• Create just enough distance from the norms so Create just enough distance from the norms so followers perceive their leaders as special and followers perceive their leaders as special and attractiveattractive

•• Too much conformity can render the leaders Too much conformity can render the leaders ineffective; too little can isolate themineffective; too little can isolate them

•• Know how to strike a balance between their Know how to strike a balance between their distinctiveness and the cultures in which they distinctiveness and the cultures in which they operateoperate

•• Do not immediately seek out headDo not immediately seek out head--on on confrontations confrontations –– try to first gain minimal acceptance as try to first gain minimal acceptance as members of their organizationsmembers of their organizations

Women LeadersWomen Leaders

•• Universal challengeUniversal challenge•• Unless female leaders acknowledge and validate Unless female leaders acknowledge and validate

some of the prevailing organizational norms some of the prevailing organizational norms surrounding gender roles, they will find it hard surrounding gender roles, they will find it hard to obtain acceptance from male followersto obtain acceptance from male followers

In complex organizationsIn complex organizations

•• Authentic leaders select the specific norms and Authentic leaders select the specific norms and elements they want to be identified with and elements they want to be identified with and those they need to rejectthose they need to reject

ConclusionConclusion

•• Authenticity is not the opposite of artifice Authenticity is not the opposite of artifice –– something something that is straightforward, sincere and uncomplicatedthat is straightforward, sincere and uncomplicated

•• Managers who assume that authenticity stems from an Managers who assume that authenticity stems from an uncontrolled expression of their inner selves will never uncontrolled expression of their inner selves will never become authentic leadersbecome authentic leaders

•• Great leaders understand that their reputation for Great leaders understand that their reputation for authenticity needs to be painstakingly earned and authenticity needs to be painstakingly earned and carefully managedcarefully managed

•• ““If you can fake it, you’ve got it made”If you can fake it, you’ve got it made” said George Burns said George Burns about honestyabout honesty

•• It is equally relevant with authenticityIt is equally relevant with authenticity•• Authentic leaders don’t really fake it to make it but Authentic leaders don’t really fake it to make it but

expression of one’s authentic self is complicated and expression of one’s authentic self is complicated and a contrived acta contrived act

•• All authentic leaders are complicated and contrivedAll authentic leaders are complicated and contrived