Authenticity

Dear Managers and Leaders!

As a leader, you are asked to get in front of the pack, to distinguish yourself by your ideas, actions, and energy. This has the potential to impact your current life and change yourself in many ways. Tackling a leadership position also means that you are responsible for the work and life of a number of people. So you cannot only think about yourself anymore. Other people are now part of your life. It is somewhat similar to raising kids. You are responsible for the people you lead just like you are responsible for the kids you raise.

Because of this high impact on you and others, the decision to tackle a leadership role should not be taken lightly. It needs to be done for good reasons. It should not be done simply to get a promotion or to get a higher pay check. Neither should it be done to impress your family or your friends. Those types of motives based on image and social standing will likely lead you and your team to disappointment, loss of purpose, failure, or even burn out! People would also see through those motives and would not really be ready to follow you in your endeavours. As Kevin Cashman is writing in his book “Leadership from the Inside Out”, the question is “Do you want to look good or do you want to make a difference?”

Genuine, authentic motivations are essential to succeed in leadership. Leadership must come from inside yourself and be authentic. It should not be guided by external desire. Leadership for leadership leads to nothing. To be effective, leadership must be grounded in reality and needs to originate from an internal movement towards an external change.

What about you dear leaders? Why are you leading? Why are you putting yourself in a riskier position? Is it to get more recognition or because you have a profound desire to make a difference? Please share your thoughts with the other readers by adding a comment below.

Until next time,

Remi Cote

PS: If you find these postings interesting and would like to learn more about what I can do for you and your team, then please visit www.innovachron.com or contact me directly at remi@innovachron.com.