Being “authentic”? Really?

Leadership guides and LinkedIn often emphasize how important it is to be authentic as a leader. But what does that actually mean? And is authenticity really always helpful?

The sentence “I’m just like this” sounds honest at first, but is often a sign of stagnation. It can mean: “I don’t want to change” or even more problematic: “I don’t take responsibility for my impact.”

Leadership doesn’t just mean being “real” as you are at the moment. Because “genuine” can also mean: impulsive, insecure, introverted, confrontational – depending on your personality tendencies.

Leadership demands more:

• 
Growing beyond yourself.
• Consciously deciding how you want to come across.
• Trying out new things and actively shaping your role.

Authenticity is not a fixed state, but a process. It’s not about finding and defending a “true version” of yourself, but about continuing to develop and constantly readjust between your inner world and your external image.

There is no fixed “authentic”. Because authenticity is not a state, but a living process. A constant negotiation between who I am and what I want to achieve.

Leadership doesn’t start with:  “I’m just like this.”
Leadership begins with: “How do I want to come across? ”