The challenges to being an authentic leader.

People are drawn to authenticity. In the workplace, it’s well established that authenticity can help to build stronger relationships, encourage transparency and create a positive organisational culture where individuals feel empowered to be themselves. With a clear emphasis on collaboration rather than individualism, it can also increase job satisfaction and lead to higher levels of engagement, motivation, and innovation.

Authenticity also plays a key role in building the trust needed to connect leaders with their teams. People want to be engaged and committed to what they're doing, to feel as if their work matters and to believe in their leaders. By being genuine, self-aware and transparent, an authentic leader displays who they are as a person and can share their sense of purpose so employees become happier, more comfortable, and more productive. Like any leadership approach though, it's not without its potential challenges. These can include:

1.     Subjectivity: Authenticity can be subjective and vary from person to person and culture to culture. What seems authentic to one person may not to another. This can create challenges in how authenticity is seen and practiced in a team or organisation.

2.     Overemphasis on Individuality: Authentic leadership often focuses heavily on the leader's individual traits, values, and experiences. This can foster trust and connection, but it may also downplay the importance of broader organisational goals and systemic issues that require collective efforts to address.

3.     Potential for Inauthenticity: Leaders may feel pressured to conform to a certain image of authenticity, which can lead to behaviours that are more about appearing authentic rather than actually being so. This can undermine trust and authenticity within the team.

4.     Lack of Adaptability: Leaders who stick rigidly to their authentic selves may struggle to adapt their leadership style to different situations or contexts. Effective leadership often requires flexibility and the ability to adjust one's approach based on the needs of the team or organisation.

5.     Vulnerability: Authentic leadership encourages leaders to be vulnerable and open about their weaknesses and failures. While this can foster trust and connection, it may also make leaders feel exposed or uncomfortable, especially in environments where vulnerability is not valued or accepted.

6.     Potential for Misinterpretation: Genuine authenticity can sometimes be misunderstood or misinterpreted, leading to unintended consequences or conflicts. For example, a leader's openness about their personal struggles may be perceived as a lack of competence or confidence.

Although being authentic as a leader can present challenges, the impact it can have on both individuals and organisations makes it well worth the effort. Addressing the challenges requires a nuanced understanding of authentic leadership and a commitment to ongoing self-reflection, learning, and adaptation. Leaders who strive to be authentic should also recognise the importance of balancing their individual authenticity with the needs and dynamics of the broader team or organisation

Transcending traditional ideas to create purpose

Keywords

Resilience – Self-awareness – Authenticity – Creativity - Continuous Learning – Critical Thinking

In this episode of Resilience Unravelled Deevo Tindall talks about his problem-solving approach to customer service and his personal experiences of starting his own marketing agency. He emphasises the importance of self-awareness, authenticity in business narratives, and continuous learning and also discusses the pressure put on students within the American education system to achieve academic excellence and the importance of teaching students about alternative paths to success.

Deevo shares his personal experiences of questioning established norms and processes in the corporate world, the importance of critical thinking and the roles of creativity and conformity in organisations and society.

Main topics

• The 'superpower' approach in business

• Strategic growth and the importance of resilience in business.

• Personal and professional reinvention

• The importance of authenticity in business narratives and the dangers of businesses telling inauthentic stories.

• The concept of "shadow work,"and redefining one's identity.

• The different paths to success and the importance of introspection in life.

• Pragmatic, creative approaches to problem-solving

• Is tension in organisations necessary or beneficial.

• Why finding a sense of identity and fulfilment, regardless of whether one is creative or not, is key to a satisfactory life.

• The concept of resilience in setting smart goals.

Action items

Find out more about Deevo at Fusion Creative or through his social media at LinkedIn and Instagram.

 You can listen to the podcast in full and find out further information here. Our upcoming guest list is also available along with our previous blogs.
Find out more about our innovative Resilience and Burnout solutions.   

Is FOOP affecting your authenticity?

New research from Reed shows that 32% of the 2,000 British workers surveyed didn’t feel they could be their true selves at work, with 19% regularly adopting a workplace persona depending on who they talked to or the situation they were in. This inability to be authentic could be down to FOOP, the fear of offending people.

FOOP can lead to people becoming afraid of saying or doing something that might be deemed socially unacceptable, offensive, or politically incorrect and leads to them censoring their thoughts, opinions, and behaviours to avoid any possible backlash, criticism, or social consequences. This leads to a reluctance to engage in open discussions, and a general atmosphere of caution in social interactions which impacts on both personal and professional relationships, stifles creativity, diversity of thought, and genuine conversations.

The extent to which individuals feel this fear can vary depending on cultural context, societal norms, personal values, and the specific subject being discussed and whilst some individuals might genuinely feel this fear, others may use it as a way to dismiss criticism or avoid accountability for their words or actions.

Finding the balance between expressing yourself and being respectful of others' feelings and perspectives can be complex. In any workplace, there is always the potential to offend others, intentionally or unintentionally. Offending people can lead to awkward or uncomfortable situations and damaged relationships but there may be situations where expressing your opinions or standing up for yourself is essential. In these situations, the ability to deal with the aftermath in a constructive and empathetic way is essential to maintaining healthy relationships with colleagues and minimising the potential for negative consequences.

Some argue that there has been an increase in online platforms and social media, which has magnified the impact of public scrutiny and led to a heightened fear of offending others. Others contend that these discussions have been happening for years and are not a new phenomenon. Whatever the reason, the ability to express yourself in an authentic way, rather than dedicating mental effort to hide your true self means you’re going to be far happier in your job and life.

Putting people first – the benefits of Human Leadership

A survey by Gartner of 230 HR leaders showed that 90% of them believed that it was essential for leaders to focus on the human aspects of leadership if they were to succeed. It also showed there was a 37% increase in high engagement for those employees who worked for a human leader and that these employees improved their team’s performance by up to 27%. However, another Gartner survey of 3,400 employees conducted at the same time showed that only 29% of them thought that they were led by a ‘human leader’. The business case for human leadership is there so why aren’t leaders more committed to the approach?

Human leadership refers to the practice of guiding and influencing a group of individuals or an organisation towards a common goal through effective communication, collaboration, empathy, and understanding of human behaviour. It emphasises the importance of connecting with and inspiring people on a personal level, considering their needs, motivations, and strengths.

Contrasting with more traditional, authoritative, or transactional leadership styles that focus primarily on power dynamics, hierarchy, and task-oriented goals, human leadership places people at the centre, recognising that a motivated, engaged, and well-supported team is essential for achieving sustainable success. Some of the benefits of human leadership include:

• Enhanced Employee Engagement: Human leaders build relationships with their team members that lead to higher levels of engagement and job satisfaction. Employees feel valued, supported and understood so are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work.

• Improved Communication: Human leaders prioritise open and transparent communication, creating a culture of trust and encouraging team members to express their ideas, concerns and feedback, leading to better collaboration and decision-making.

• Higher Productivity: Employees who feel connected to their leader and colleagues, are more likely to work collaboratively, share knowledge and contribute, leading to increased productivity and better results.

• Reduced Turnover: Human leaders create a work environment that fosters loyalty and a sense of belonging. Employees are less likely to leave so staff turnover and recruitment and training costs are reduced.

• Enhanced Creativity and Innovation: Human leaders encourage employees to share ideas and perspectives, promoting a culture of innovation, creative problem-solving and new solutions.

• Higher Employee Well-being: Human leaders show genuine care for the well-being of their team, provide support during challenging times and promote a positive and healthy workplace culture.

• Effective Conflict Resolution: Human leaders address conflicts and disagreements constructively, using open communication and empathy to facilitate resolution and maintain positive relationships within the team.

• Development of Leadership Skills: Human leaders focus on mentoring and developing the leadership skills of their team so individual growth improves and a pipeline of future leaders built.

• Positive Organisational Culture: Human leaders contribute to the development of a positive organisational culture based on respect, trust and collaboration. This attracts top talent and contributes to the organisation's reputation and success

• Adaptability to Change: Human leaders are more attuned to the emotional and psychological impact of change on their team which helps employees navigate transitions and adapt to new circumstances.

• Higher Employee Satisfaction: Employees with human leaders are more likely to feel satisfied with their work, interactions with colleagues and overall work environment.

• Improved Performance Reviews: Human leaders provide regular feedback and coaching so employees improve their skills and performance and contribute to meaningful and productive performance reviews.

Whist other leadership styles may have their own strengths and applications, human leadership stands out for its emphasis on building strong relationships, understanding, and addressing the emotional needs of team members, and promoting collaboration and empathy as fundamental aspects of effective leadership.

Human leaders choose transparency over control, relationships over hierarchies and wellbeing over productivity. They engage with employees, lead by example and are authentic and empathetic. They possess high emotional intelligence, are calm and confident, and communicate clearly.  They see change as a way of building a new and better future where the values and purpose of the organisation are genuinely believed in and lived out every day.

In today’s constantly changing world of work, can you afford not to be a more human leader?

The actor’s mindset. The role of resilience

Craig Archibald is an acting coach in California who works with actors at all levels in their careers – from movie stars to those just starting out. He grew up in western Canada and got involved in the theatre when he was 11 years old. He became a professional actor when he was 15 and put himself through college using the money he made from acting. His college professors were British ex-pats and at the end of his course they suggested his next move should be to study in the UK.  He came to London and got a job at the Royal National Theatre as well as studying with leading teachers from RADA, Webber Douglas and the Guildhall. He then moved to New York’s Neighbourhood Playhouse and studied the Stanislavski method to acting. He had a twenty-year acting career before realising he also had a different set of skills, those of writing, producing and coaching.

Craig went through a major life change in his mid 40s and moved from Manhattan to Malibu where he took some time to get some perspective on life. He then decided to focus most of his attention on coaching and set up a west coast version of his New York coaching operation where over the last 12 -15 years he has worked with a lot of young artists to get their careers on the road as well as working with people higher in the industry to help them become more grounded.  Hollywood can be distracting and very ego driven and the problem with that is that is that you are going to be disappointed because your ego will always find reasons for failure. Turning that around and making it a positive is part of what Craig does along with mentoring people coming into the industry so they are a little more prepared. There is so much judgement nowadays particularly through social media and the capacity for people to say unpleasant things is far more common than it used to be. People in the public eye have to be able to take those negative comments and turn them around – to use them and then let them go.

Anyone who has worked in the theatre has had to learn the idea of doing something day in day out, whether you want to or not. If you are ill, tired or just don’t feel like it, you still have to turn up and perform. This teaches you a certain type of resilience – the ability to weather the storm, to manage your performance and give what needs to be given. This is not necessariliy 100 % but its always ‘just good enough’. You then lose the idea of perfection.  Craig tells his clients to aim to be above 95% every time. True professionals are disciplined enough to be above 95% every time. They aim to be the best they can be on the day but also to allow themselves room to be human, to be vulnerable and to weather the storm. Craig feels true professionalism lives at that level. With discipline, focus and the ability to maintain a performance focus, the audience might not know where you are on the scale but they receive the very best you can give them at that time.

Craig uses the expression ‘Acting is living truthfully under the imaginary circumstances’ to describe what actors do. Sometimes you get roles that are very close to who you actually are so the imaginary circumstances are very similiar to your personal circumstances. If you don't get a role like that and are an actor who can do deeper character roles and knows how to address getting into character you have the ability to create a character, and change the voice, hair colour, accent and stature. Gary Oldman is a master of this - he uses ‘Gary’ when he needs to and creates other layers to characters when he doesn't. He crosses that line so that some performances he gives are close to who he is whilst others are another character completely. Really it comes down to the individual given circumstances of the character. Some people are more comfortable playing someone closer to themselves whilst others are happier diving into the deep end of creating a character. It depends on the individual actor and how they see it.

Working in TV is completely different. It moves very quickly so its easier to use your basic personality to be in front of the camera 9 to late, Monday to Friday. Generally actors love playing something other than themselves so can find a way to put something different in their perspective, attitude or characters point of view. It’s more fun for them than playing themselves. On TV its a difficult job, full time and intense with lots of pressure and script changes. Actors tend to be a bit more protected, simple and starrtightforward with their work so they can adapt to those changes as they go through the day and not be thrown off and have to recreate all the time!

In leadership terms and in human behaviour terms there is a great drive for authenticity. Craig thinks authenticity is the key to everything. Actors give their authenticity depending on their characters authenticity. They can play someone whose not authentic through the given circumstances - whatever the script tells us we have to live truthfully inside those given circumstances. Within this wecan find where the character is or isn’t authentic. We have to ask  ‘what is my obstacle?’ What you do when faced by an obstacle gives the audience that characters moral code. The moral code is given by the actions a charcter takes. Actors ‘what is my obsctacle?’ and as a charcter what do I do as that character to get around it? It gives the moral complasss for that character. We have to be that character and use that mortal compass and authentically use myself to fill up that moral compass at whatever level that is.

Actors have to deal with a lot of rejection which can be pretty brutal. Boundaries are part of dealing with rejection and are also essential in life. It is not the rejection that hurts you rather your self. The rejection can be small but the negative voices that you have are going to come out and take over. Craig recommends daily practices such as meditation of physical activity. Positive self care makes a difference and helps you get into your own world again. Craig tells his clients that if they are being rejected its a good thing because youre actually auditioning and not just sitting around waiting for someone to call. You are actively pursuing your career so that’s a win. Each casting meeting means you are proving that you are a quality artist even though you might not be right for this project. If you can win the room you’re going to have an acting career.

You need resilience to come back from rejection. Craig feels you need to make a crisis management plan so you are ahead of the game. Whatever happens you will know what to do, how to come back from those moments and pre think a crisis. In this crisis this is what I’m going to do. If you give youerself the space and time to feel your feelings before you respond and take your time to remove yourself from the situation so you can clear your emotions and get ack to your authientic self so you can respond in a way you are proud of.

You can find out more at the Archibaldstudio.com Craig is also the author of The Actor’s Mindset: Acting as a Craft, Discipline, and Business.

You can listen to the podcast in full and find out further information here. Our upcoming guest list is also available along with our previous blogs.
Find out more about our innovative Resilience and Burnout solutions.

Authentic leadership

Humans are drawn to authenticity. In the workplace, it’s well established that authenticity can impact directly on employee engagement, job satisfaction, and performance.

People generally want to be engaged and committed to what they're doing, to feel as if their work matters and to believe in their leaders. Authenticity plays a key role in building the confidence, loyalty and trust needed to connect leaders with their team whilst a lack of openness, trust and follow though, can result in uncomfortable working relationships.

By being genuine, self-aware and transparent, an authentic leader displays who they are as a person and can share their sense of purpose so employees become happier, more comfortable, and more productive.

In the post pandemic world, organisations of all sizes will benefit from authentic leaders who behave with integrity and consistency and can build the relationships needed to overcome current and future challenges to move their business forward.

Overcome adversity and build resilience

Rob Swymer is a seasoned sales executive of over 40 years who embodies a servant leadership mindset. He leads his teams with empathy and applies the lessons learned from his adversity to help others build resilience and thrive, not only in business, but in their personal lives as well.  Working in sales can help develop so many life skills and Rob feels that at some point everyone should both work in sales and public facing roles.  Both can help with building the human connection, developing trust and being authentic whilst doing it. Rob feels that people’s perception of salespeople is not good. His take is that we’re here to serve and make people lives better in the long run, no matter what you’re selling.

Communication is at the heart of the human condition – communicating authentically is the best way to be your best self. Rob feels that authenticity is the ability to be yourself wherever you are and whoever you’re with. But with this comes vulnerability. Vulnerability comes through adversity and adversity builds resilience but if you are vulnerable enough to talk about your adversity then you will make a massive impact on the people you touch or meet. The human connection will be very strong. It needs a very adult form of relationship to build trust and be vulnerable – authenticity based on vulnerability is a very adult concept that does not work for all cultures, places or times. Some things translate and others don't.

Vulnerability, authenticity and adversity are a set of skills. Rob believes that resilience is something you learn and build from the events in your life. He grew up in adversity and had severe learning disabilities so had to navigate through these. He learned to adapt and practice self-care. When he was ten he was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome and was bullied at school and in later years struggled with alcohol addiction which led to suicidal thoughts and depression. At 23 he learnt he had Keratoconus and needed a cornea transplant. Then eight years ago his wife of 32 years suffered a brain aneurysm. Rob’s life changed at that moment but looking back he feels that events and adversity stacking really prepared him for when lost his wife.

A year after his wife died Rob moved back to Atlanta. His friends kept him busy and one friend focused on his health and wellness. He a while he realised that their relationship might become something more so he went to his two boys to ask them what they thought. They said ask her out so they went on a proper date, their relationship blossomed and three years later they got married. They now have a blended family and Rob feels it is a wonderful ending to a tragic event, that the rise is always sweeter than the fall.

Rob believes our internal voice influences every thought, belief, and action. He used this model to move forward. In reality the internal voice is louder than any external voice you can hear. He thinks you need to start with mindset. If you get the mindset right on a daily basis or however often you need to check and with the inner voice in check as well there is nothing you cant achieve. 20% - 30% of people don't have an inner voice but even if you don't have an internal monologue you can learn the process to bring out your internal voice.

Rob also lives a life of gratitude but feels you need to go out to find happiness. You don't wait to be happy, you find the enjoyment and mine the pleasure saying that whatever situation you’re in you’ll find something to be grateful for.

You can listen to the podcast in full and find out further information here. Our upcoming guest list is also available along with our previous blogs.

You can find out more at robswymer.com His new book is Surrender to Your Adversity,