The power of authentic leadership lies in the ability to inspire trust, foster engagement, and drive organizational success through genuine and transparent leadership practices. Authentic leaders are true to themselves, their values, and their beliefs, which enables them to build strong connections with their employees and consumers.
Here are some critical aspects of the power of authentic leadership:
Trust and Credibility: Authentic leaders are honest, transparent, and consistent in their actions and communication, which builds trust and credibility among their employees. When employees trust their leaders, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to achieving shared goals. Trust and credibility go both ways. If you lose trust and credibility within your management staff, it trickles down to employees. This becomes a slippery slope, as you need to act quickly to fix the issues or to remove the member of management before you have a mutiny on your hands.
Employee Engagement: Authentic leaders empower their employees by providing growth, development, and meaningful work opportunities—this high level of employee engagement, creativity, and productivity creates a supportive and inclusive environment. Most employees do not realize, because their leadership is not usually vulnerable, that employees are the most critical part of any company. When you recognize that and treat them like family, they will return the favor by working harder. When employees work harder, you must reward them. I have found that the best reward is something unexpected and fun!
Resilience and Adaptability: Authentic leaders are resilient and adaptable in facing challenges and setbacks. They lead by example, demonstrating perseverance, flexibility, and a positive attitude, which inspires confidence and motivation in their teams during difficult times. Being at the top is lonely and rarely fun. I find myself many days wanting to say screw this, but then quickly realize how many people depend on me to be resilient and adapt to everything that is being thrown at me every day from multiple companies. I lean more on my management staff for help when it is too much.
Ethical Decision-Making: Authentic leaders prioritize ethical values and principles in their decision-making processes. They consider the impact of their actions and uphold integrity, fairness, and accountability in their leadership practices. Most leaders find it challenging to prioritize people over profits because they chase the bottom line. This strategy only works if you plan on being in business for a short duration of time. If you are in it for the long haul, let your ethical decision-making take precedence, and the profit will come to you tenfold.
Innovation and Collaboration: Authentic leaders encourage innovation and collaboration by fostering an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, and ideas are openly shared and explored. Authentic leaders drive innovation and adaptability within their organization by promoting openness and creativity. “If you build it, they will come” was a quote from Field of Dreams. I do not know whether the quote or the movie's name is more telling. Build what others think is impossible and watch them light up to see it work.
Long-Term Success: Authentic leadership contributes to a company's long-term success and sustainability by creating a culture of trust, integrity, and resilience. Authentic leaders focus on building enduring relationships and delivering value, which fosters loyalty.
I feel blessed to have a management staff who have been together for more than a decade. Yes, we fight like a family-but we make up. “Tough but fair,” as my Director of Underwriting would say.
Overall, the power of authentic leadership lies in your ability to create positive organizational cultures, inspire high levels of engagement and performance, and drive sustainable success in the long term.