It’s difficult to lead well, especially in a fast-paced environment. The fast-paced, dynamic world of rapid change that used to be confined to distressed organizations is now everyone’s world. To enable an organization to thrive today, leaders have to embrace an authentic leadership style. It promotes an engaged, flexible and innovative environment, one able to match the pace of change we now face. Here are five pillars of authentic leadership.
1. Collaboration: Organizations need to be inherently agile with collaboration and communication in their very DNA. Transparency builds trust; if you are connected to your team and genuinely interested in their participation and welfare, they will join you in your quest. The reason is simple: People own what they help create.
2. Vision: American philosopher Eric Hoffer said, “The leader has to be practical and a realist, yet must talk the language of the visionary and the idealist.”. Vision and strategy can be built collaboratively, and authentic leaders can help define that reality.
3. Empathy: Leaders, who recognize that he or she is leading normal people, and not just managing for an outcome, will engender a huge amount of loyalty, engagement and productivity. If you can create a culture of respect and dignity, a culture of trust rather than fear, your organization will accomplish great things.
4. Groundedness: Authentic leaders have to be centered and balanced if they are to be effective and resilient. They often have something in their lives that allows them to take a broader perspective, often putting the company and its people ahead of their own desires.
5. Ethical: Integrity is often not convenient, yet it is a more sustainable and ultimately more fulfilling path. The pace of change today means all organizations have to embed flex and ensure they are agile to survive and ultimately thrive in the Digital Era.
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