What is authentic leadership?

It’s hard to become who you are.

Camus’ quote on authenticity has always been a great source of inspiration for me. It reminds us of the challenge of staying true to ourselves, and fortunately, nowadays it’s easier than ever to be authentic.

This quote perfectly encapsulates the essence of authentic leadership. An authentic leader behaves in a way that is true to their identity and constantly strives for authenticity throughout their life.

It’s common for people to adopt approaches that don’t align with their true selves or perspectives. Jung stated that when individuals deviate from their predetermined path, they become neurotic. By paying attention to their inner voice, a lost soul can find its way back.

What is authentic leadership?

Authentic leadership is about being anchored to your true self. When we stray from this path, we can feel lost and disconnected.

Being an authentic leader means prioritizing the alignment of your actions with your values and beliefs. This also means building relationships based on genuine connections and honesty.

While avoiding impulsive reactions and emotional decisions is important, being authentic requires self-awareness and a commitment to staying true to yourself. True authentic leadership comes from within and is rooted in a deep understanding of one’s values and beliefs.

How do you become an authentic leader?

To become a genuine leader, it’s essential to train your brain to activate your authentic self. This involves learning to use both hemispheres of your brain, as most leaders rely only on their left hemisphere and overlook the right hemisphere.

Right and left hemispheres and authentic leadership

To put it simply, the distinction between the two hemispheres lies in how one perceives reality. The left hemisphere tends to view it in fragments, analyzing and reacting to individual parts. In contrast, the right hemisphere views reality holistically, taking in the bigger picture. Thus, a leader who primarily manages from the left may be reactive to individual parts, whereas a right-brained leader consciously acts with a holistic perspective.

Core development toward authentic leadership

In order to become an authentic leader, it is important to learn to view reality from both perspectives and act accordingly for optimal synergy. Unfortunately, many individuals tend to have an underutilized right hemisphere. However, training the brain in this manner is feasible. The Brain&Mind approach® is designed to effectively guide individuals towards a more authentic self. It is vital to incorporate emotions and personal experiences in the workplace for success.
The effects optimal cooperation of both hemispheres for authentic leadership

When you use both hemispheres of the brain, it has the following effects:

• You will be true to yourself and act accordingly. Often, we create a rationalized version of ourselves and act in accordance with that perception. However, this version of ourselves may not truly reflect who we are.
• You will fully tap into your positive emotions and experiences, and then use your rational mind to act on them. By doing so, you allow your emotions to guide you while still maintaining control over your actions.
• In order to be authentic, it’s crucial to be true to your natural self. Your true self is happy and enthusiastic; you should strive to let that shine through. This will minimize the influence of negative emotions and maximize the power of positive emotions.
• Connecting with others, as well as yourself, is easy when you’re authentic. This allows for sincere and respectful relationships, based on compassion and empathy. When leading, avoiding fear and other negative emotions is important. Instead, strive for a confidential and safe environment where collaboration can thrive.

In conclusion

In fact, discussing the development of authenticity is unnecessary since authenticity already exists within us. Rather, the focus should be removing any barriers hindering our authenticity.