The added value of Authentic Leadership in times of change
Written by Karen Saunders
Karen is an Executive Coach, developing individuals and teams to be exceptional leaders. As a former corporate HR Director, Karen’s clients value her experience of navigating complex, ambiguous and sensitive situations. Learn more about Karen here.
Most people come to Human Resources with a problem rather than good news. During the years I was directly employed in HR, I can honestly say most of the concerns that came my way resulted from a breakdown in trust and rapport. This was exacerbated during periods of change; when emotions ran high and put a strain on communication and relationships.
As someone who supported the resolution of numerous ‘people issues’ in periods of stability and change, I believe that a leader who invests in building rapport with their stakeholders has a much stronger platform for avoiding, or quickly resolving, any difficulties that present themselves. It forms a solid foundation for the good and the challenging times.
And the starting point for such an investment? Authenticity.
What is Authenticity?
Let’s start with a definition of ‘Authenticity’. An article by Mike Robbins has a simple but thorough definition which resonates with me and many of my clients:
“Authenticity is what gives us the freedom to be ourselves and be comfortable with who we are, and it’s also what gives us access to connecting with other people in a meaningful and genuine way.”(1) - Mike Robbins
If the vast majority of ‘people issues’ in business result from a breakdown in trust and rapport, how can you turn this on its head? In my view, authenticity is the fundamental first step to take in building rapport. I visualise this journey as a series of steps; each a valuable investment in one’s success as a leader. Any leader skipping this, does so at their peril.
How does authenticity lend itself to successful leadership?
I had an epiphany during my training to be an Executive Coach, back when I was still in a HR leadership role. I gained clearer insight into my professional life and what would underpin my coaching framework going forward. The word I kept coming back to was ‘Authenticity’.
Without realising it, to that point, I had confused being ‘professional’ in my HR career with trying to be perfect, needing to have all the answers or, worse still, telling people the answer they wanted to hear. The biggest reflection and shift for me was the challenge to be my authentic self and to understand the potential impact of not doing so. When I dropped the veneer and dared to be a little vulnerable, it was welcomed and, importantly, built more genuine connections and rapport with my stakeholders.
Authenticity proved to be a lightbulb in my career and influenced my approach to my role as a leader. And it was noticed – positively.
Why should a leader prioritise Authenticity in times of change?
While the benefits of being your ‘authentic self’ are long-established in coaching and counselling relationships, ‘authenticity’ has moved firmly into the spotlight of the corporate world over the years. Indeed, through executive coaching, I see my own clients gaining positive results when they are willing to be more authentic in their role at work.
Executive education also recognises the importance of Authenticity. It is part of London Business School’s Accelerated Development Programme(2) and the Institute of Leadership and Management has authenticity as one of its ‘5 Dimensions of Leadership’(3). Additionally, there are numerous podcasts and TED talks on the subject.
Keeping in mind that authenticity is fundamental to all leaders at all times, why is its impact even more significant when navigating periods of change?
An authentic leader:
Builds trust and connection: You need buy-in to you as a leader in periods of change, and you need to know what people really think so you can respond appropriately. Developing a trusted two-way communication flow facilitates a psychologically safe relationship during times of uncertainty.
Increases engagement: People buy-in to people, not to robots. If you want your employees to trust your direction during transition and positively engage in the vision you or your organisation has for the future, you need to be authentic. It enables believability and a rapport that is genuine.
Grows goodwill: This is the golden currency in work relationships, particularly in times of organisational change when you might need to ask for more from colleagues experiencing heightened emotions.
Develops openness and curiosity: In times of transition, individuals experience different depths of reactions to change. The most troubling of these is hidden resistance. It takes place in the background, and, as a leader, you need to know what’s really going on. You do not want concerns that could be addressed and resolved earlier in the change process to remain masked and escalate. Authenticity facilitates openness and creates opportunities to have these more difficult conversations. Increased openness also makes space for creativity and the open sharing of ideas.
Encourages reciprocal authenticity: This enables candid conversations and brings dialogue into a more level playing field, with leaders and their direct reports treating each other with respect and a more positive regard.
Times of change are crucial for those in leadership. The credibility of a leader and the respect that employees have for them can be on a knife edge in uncertain or unsettling periods.
In my experience, saying one thing and doing another, even with positive intent, can put an unintended strain on the trust and goodwill in a relationship and risk leaving the psychological safety of those you lead in a fragile state. Employees are ever more willing to ‘call out’ something that doesn’t seem genuine or a leader who does not fulfil a promise. As newer generations enter the workplace, these voices will continue to strengthen.
Cultivating Authentic Leadership through Organisational Change
A leader will inevitably have to navigate through changes, big or small, throughout their career. These three tips will pay dividends to a leader’s experience of change:
Get clued up: Consider what it means to be an authentic leader; build your self-awareness, for example, with the use of behavioural profiles like DISC or MBTI to reflect on your strengths and limitations in the context of your role; gather feedback on yourself; work with a coach; broaden your horizons about authenticity (a useful starting point is Dr Brené Brown’s TED Talk on ‘The power of vulnerability’(4), or her ‘Dare to Lead’ hub and podcasts(5).
Practice, practice, practice: Authentic leadership isn’t a tick-box exercise. So, start small, practice giving a little more of yourself daily, and you’ll gradually see a return on your investment, in the way you feel, and in the engagement of your stakeholders. It’s simply less stressful to be our authentic selves than pretending to be someone we’re not.
*TOP TIP* Don’t wait for change to practice authentic leadership: Normalise it in your everyday role. Embarking on a change journey should be the time to maximise the trusted relationships you’ve already built, not to begin them. Also, check your bank balance for goodwill – if funds are low, I wholly recommend investing in it with your stakeholders.
Conclusion
Ultimately, authenticity starts with self: know yourself to lead yourself and others. My own experience has taught me that this self-knowledge is critical not just for personal growth but also for inspiring and leading others effectively, especially during times of change.
With organisations experiencing constant change, authenticity is fundamental if you wish to succeed in leading sustainable change.
Just imagine what transformation we might witness in our organisations if every leader put authenticity higher on their agenda.
References and further reading:
1. ‘The power of authenticity’ - Mike Robbins, May 2013:
https://mike-robbins.com/the-power-of-authenticity-1/
2. London Business School (Exec Education: Accelerated Development Programme (ADP)
https://www.london.edu/executive-education/general-management/accelerated-development-programme
Exec Education: High Performance People Skills for Leaders
https://www.london.edu/executive-education/leadership/high-performance-people-skills-for-leaders
Exec Education: Next Level Leadership:
https://www.london.edu/executive-education/leadership/next-level-leadership#Good-for-you
3. Institute of Leadership: Dimensions of Leadership: https://leadership.global/learning/leadership-framework.html
4. TED: ‘The power of vulnerability’ – Dr Brené Brown, June 2010
https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?language=en
5. ‘Dare to Lead’ hub and podcasts – Dr Brené Brown