I strongly dislike authenticity! When someone in a team program says ‘We should be more authentic’ I die a little inside…

Melodramatic? Perhaps!

It’s not so much that I dislike authenticity… I detest how the term is sometimes used in our corporate world, and how it can be weaponized to justify poor conduct. ‘I was just being me, being authentic!’

Authenticity is not a free ticket to behave badly!

Mindtools defines authenticity as being ‘true to your own personality, values, and spirit, regardless of the pressure that you’re under to act otherwise. You’re honest with yourself and with others, and you take responsibility for your mistakes. Your values, ideals, and actions align.’

The intention of this definition is good and I fully support it.

And.. I would like to extend the concept of responsibility beyond responsibility for mistakes, to responsibility for the impact our ‘authenticity’ can have on others. Let’s be more socially aware.

I propose that ‘Authenticity is being true to your own values and spirit, while also recognizing your responsibility to others.’

Typically we get the first bit of that. It’s the second bit – recognizing our responsibility to others – that can be forgotten.

Yes – be true to your own values, act in alignment with what you believe, live to your ideals. AND…. remember that what you say and HOW you say it impacts other people.

Show up. Be yourself fully expressed. Live in a way that your values, ideals and actions are aligned, while being aware of and taking responsibility for the emotional wake you might at times create. That is Fearless Leadership.

What do you think about authenticity?

Go Fearlessly – Corrinne