Recent articles in Forbes magazine and U.S. News and World Report both lament the loss of understanding about truly authentic leadership.
Writing for Forbes, Saj-nicole Joni explains in her article, “Wanted: Authentic Leaders,” that many of us confuse leaders who are merely unconventional and outspoken, or independent and nonconformist, with authentic leaders. She argues that authenticity requires much more than unrestrained flamboyance or charisma:
- Authentic leaders place purpose or mission and vision above themselves — they don’t covet attention for themselves, but for their dream they wish to see fulfilled.
- Authentic leaders are guided by a clear and consistent understanding of their values and standards.
- Authentic leaders are discreet with emotions and opinions when necessary; they are thoughtful and careful about what to say or do, and when and how to disclose information.
- Authentic leaders are humble — critically evaluating and testing ideas and assumptions by seeking different views and input; they thrive on the exchange of information and exploration of issues.
- Authentic leaders are concerned with a healthy organizational culture, not a culture dependent upon their own personal charisma — a cult of personality.
In his article, “Truly Authentic Leadership” for U.S. News and World Report, Bill George writes that we often have “a wrongheaded notion of what exactly a leader is. This misguided notion of leadership often results in the wrong people attaining critical leadership roles. . . choosing leaders for their style rather than their substance, for their image instead of their integrity.” He goes on to say that the 21st-century leader is about “being authentic, uniquely yourself, the genuine article.” Authentic leaders don’t feel they need to impress others and are leaders who unite people about a shared purpose and common values, and who inspire them for creating progress or solving problems. George also points to five behaviors or traits of authentic leaders:
- Pursuing their purpose with passion,
- Practicing solid values,
- Leading with their hearts as well as their heads,
- Establishing connected relationships,
- Demonstrating self-discipline.
These lists have a great deal in common. Both authors emphasize purpose and passion — authentic leaders have found a calling. How? Joni quotes Belle Halpern who says authenticity arises when a person is connected to “the depths of his or her own being.” George says that, “To discover their purpose, authentic leaders have to understand themselves and the passions that animate their life stories.” Knowing oneself is essential to determine the kinds of talents and skills one has and for which of these talents or skills one has deep desires to pursue it — a passion to focus on it and build it, always striving for new levels of excellence. However, both authors also allude to the fact that being in touch with talents and passions is not enough for a true calling — for developing into an authentic leader. Without a connection to the world — to the needs of others, to a challenge or issue — it is too easy for passion and purpose to lead to narcissism, not authentic leadership. So an individual finds his or her calling where these three things — talent, passion, and the world — intersect.
To begin thinking about your own calling, you might consider filling in the circles of a diagram like the one below. All the talents or skills you have for one circle, all the things about which you are passionate and value in another, and the world or community issues, problems, and challenges that concern you in the third. In the example below, the young woman completing the diagram has talents for playing piano, for math, and for writing; she is passionate about reading, about the value of education, and about music; and the issues which concern her are declining appreciation of the arts and environmental issues, among others. Since she has a musical talent, is passionate about music, and has a concern related to these things — her circles overlap and the overlapping space has the three related things in it: playing piano, passion for music, and concern for declining appreciation of the arts. She could develop as a pianist and authentic leader promoting appreciation for music. She might be equally or even more talented in writing, but without the intersecting passion and concern in the world, writing won’t become a calling — something she can’t imagine not doing, which fulfills her on many levels — intellectually and emotionally and spiritually.
To read Saj-nicole Joni’s article in Forbes, click here.
To read Bill George’s article in U.S. News and World Report, click here.
U.S. News and World Report’s annual list of America’s Best Leaders and additional, related articles is also available online.
[Monika Byrd, November 2006]
Questions or Comments about Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Briefs may be directed to Monika Byrd, Director of Leadership Development Programs.
