Are we facing an authenticity crisis in work?
Hey there! I've been pondering the idea of "authenticity" lately. I know that some people might find it cringey or overrated, but for others, it's a really important value.
But are we seeing an authenticity crisis?
As a leadership coach, I’m fascinated by how we cultivate a culture of belonging in the workplace.
👉What enables or disables belonging?
👉What behaviours and qualities build towards a healthy performance culture?
👉Does authenticity build trust, connection and performance in the workplace.
Authenticity, simply put, is being your true self.
This is different to being your ‘best’ self (which promotes perfectionism and inauthenticity).
If we agree that authenticity is a good quality in the workplace, how does it emerge?
First of all, I don’t think we should expect anyone to show up authentically.
If that’s a point of resistance, that’s a fascinating line of inquiry to compassionately understand why.
Perhaps there’s a culture of mistrust that’s preventing them from being themselves.
Brene Brown said: “True belonging doesn't require you to change who you are; it requires you to be who you are.”
And there’s a leadership lesson in this. Why is it important to show up authentically as a a leader?
Showing up as your authentic self has plenty of benefits, both for your employees and your team.
Research at BetterUp found these seven benefits to showing up authentically in the workplace:
- Employee engagement went up by a whopping 140%!
- Team performance went up by a solid 50%!
- Team innovation saw a huge increase of 90%!
- Turnover was reduced by a significant 54%!
- Belonging increased by a crazy 150%! And not only that, but it also helps people:
- Build their authentic personal brand
- Find their purpose and live with greater purpose, clarity, and passion
Yet showing up authentically might feel daunting.
Here are some tips to help you show up more authentically as a leader:
✅ Lead with vulnerability: share how you feel and what’s on your mind
✅ Seek, listen and act on feedback
✅ Use the words ‘I don’t know’ when you don’t know
✅ Admit when you’ve made mistakes and what you’re doing about it
✅ Acknowledge and understand others difficulties and challenges
✅ Seek development opportunities and provide the same to employees
These are just a few ways to help you feel good about yourself, but help create a culture where people can be themselves.
Check out this post in Linkedin. There’s some great observations in the comments. You can add to them too. Click here.
