I recently read an article in Forbes that was a nice refresher on how to be an authentic leader.  Although I see these articles quite frequently, I felt this one in particular was a good reminder.  After the entire Uber debacle and the CEO resigning last week it’s a good time to reflect on what it takes to be a trusted, authentic leader.

True leadership is not telling others what to do; it’s about gaining trust and respect by always doing what you say you are going to do and leading by example.  In the book discussed in the article, The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity, author Jeff Davis discusses the following five traits important to being an authentic leader:

1.       Reveal Your True Self – It’s important to show the team you lead your true self.  The more they see that you are vulnerable just like them, the more they respect you.  I’m an introvert so revealing too much about myself is uncomfortable, but at work I remind myself that it is important to share certain challenges with my team.  Communication is key.  For example, when I’m facing a business challenge, I’ll openly share it with the team if appropriate.  They appreciate the honesty, and I appreciate the feedback I receive which can be helpful in solving the problem. This creates mutual respect in the workplace.

2.       Realize You’ll Never Be Liked By Everyone – I first started managing people at the age of 23, and I was leading the entire office by the age of 34.  It took me years to finally realize this, but as a leader you must come to the realization that you’ll never please everyone and will never be liked by everyone.  But being liked and being respected are two very different things – don’t confuse the two.  As a new manager, this is probably the hardest thing to learn.  When you finally lose that desire to be liked by everyone, you’ll find yourself being much more true to yourself.

3.       Get Feedback From Others – As Davis states, “Authentic leaders treat each experience as a learning opportunity.”  This goes along with my favorite quote that I mention often, “If you are the smartest person in the room, then find another room.”  You can always learn from others, and it’s important to graciously accept feedback from others you trust and use that feedback to constantly improve.

4.       Be Confident Yet Humble – Arrogance isn’t worn well on anyone.  It’s important to remain down to earth.  Most of us started at the bottom, and there is something to learn from everyone.  Remember where you came from.

5.       Know Your Values – ASE recently went through a 2-day strategic leadership workshop.  Before the workshop we were given pre-work which consisted of each team member looking deeply into ourselves and identifying our individual motivations, beliefs, and values.  To be a truly effective leader you must first know your own core values.  In order to be able to express who you truly are and be an authentic leader, you must know yourself.  It sounds simple, but once you begin the process you might realize things about yourself that didn’t know before.  These principles will dictate how you lead.

The bottom line is be true to yourself, and express that self to your team.  How do you bring your true self to work every day?  I’d love to hear examples of how you express yourself as a leader or a how you’ve been inspired by a truly authentic leader.  Email me at [email protected].