Authentic Leadership Essay

Thus, one of the most important lessons on how to become an authentic leader is to be able to be one’s true self. It is about being uniquely yourself and being comfortable in your own skin. The fastest way to reach a point where one is comfortable in their own skin, is by searching deeply to understand and know who you truly are. Once you have discovered who you truly are, in order to be an authentic leader, you must endeavour to be that person who you know you have always been destined to be (Spence 2008). In order to give an understanding of how one becomes an authentic business leader, I have broken down the suggestions into ten components that authentic leaders must accomplish on a regular basis. This was the same approach taken by Spence (2008), and support of these action items is given from other articles. Always speak the truth An authentic leader must consistently speak the truth and this entails being clear, honest and authentic. This also means that you must have the strength of character to respond transparently to moral dilemmas because authentic leaders become ethical role models for their teams (Gardner and Schermerhorn 2004). A poll taken by Time/CNN some years ago reported that 71% of those polled felt that the typical CEO was less honest and ethical than the average person. A young leader must behave in a manner that makes them worthy of trust, reliance and belief in order to be deemed authentic. The leader must also be of the highest integrity and committed to building enduring organisations. A deep sense of purpose must guide their actions and they must always be true to their core values (George 2007). Integrity, stewardship and sound governance are essential. Human Resources Management BUSA 5059 (J. Ruwodo) Authentic Leadership Page 3 Author: Joy Ruwodo Date: Monday, May 25, 2009 Lead from the heart It is crucial that all leaders understand that they cannot run a business or organization on their own. People within the organisation are largely responsible for making the organisational clock tick. Thus, leadership is about people. In order to be an authentic leader, a leader needs to be able to make a difference to the lives of the people he serves and in so doing, make a difference to the world. You must be more interested in empowering the people you lead to make a difference than in money, power or prestige for yourself. You must be guided by qualities of the heart, passion and compassion, as well as by qualities of the mind (George 2007). A trait associated to compassion that a leader must have is empathy – the ability to relate and to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives (Winfrey 2007). It is also vital to be willing to show vulnerability and to be open to corrective feedback which you can use to ensure continuous improvement for yourself (Geller 2007). Have a rich moral fibre Strength of character gives a leader a positive edge which can be recognised by anyone they interact with. A leader must be willing to work on their character and â€Å"walk the talk†. Such a solid character is more important than charisma. The leader’s public persona and private core must not be at odds, they must be aligned. Follow through is important. What is said in the public eye and what your corporate does must always tie up. Be courageous In order to become an authentic leader, one must be willing to do what is right always; even if it means going against the crowd.