AUTHENTICITY

Good afternoon!

Like so many others, I ventured out this weekend to begin my holiday shopping.   OK, I didn’t really shop, I simply enjoyed going out, grabbing a cup of coffee, walking in West Reading and watching others get into the bargains.  As I was going through one store I overheard a conversation between a salesperson and a potential customer.  She was making a full-blown pitch for a particular item because it was “authentic”; “You really want this one, it’s not one of the knock-offs or look-alikes seen on-line and in other stores. 

So what does the word “Authentic” mean to you; especially when we think of it in terms of leadership?  A quick search of Google revealed this, “Authentic leadership is an approach to leadership that emphasizes building the leader’s legitimacy through honest relationships with followers which value their input and are built on an ethical foundation. Generally, authentic leaders are positive people with truthful self-concepts who promote openness.”  Likewise a search for common synonyms for the word “Authentic” revealed the following:  accurate, convincing, legitimate, original, pure, reliable and true

Once again, the importance of building relationships reveals itself.  Leadership is not something that is bestowed, it is earned, one relationship at a time.  But before we build relationships with others, we must understand that person we see in the mirror each morning.  Earlier this week I read an article that considers the importance of “Authentic Leadership” Written by Lee Colan, How to Lead with Authenticity:  Being who you are and being comfortable with that are keys for today’s successful leader reminds us that authentic leadership starts with a self-awareness of who we are and being comfortable with that person.  

Have a great week and keep handing out those compliments………A Life-Changing Challenge:  Add One Compliment”.

Embrace the Challenge,

Rick