Saturday, October 12, 2024

Authentic Leadership in Everyday Life - Leading with Your True Self

 In today's world, where change is constant and uncertainty looms, people crave genuine and trustworthy leadership. We need more leaders genuinely who cares about their own people. I am in search of knowledge to how I can be more people centric with genuine interest in people and started practicing some of the key principles of Authentic leadership to achieve my goals. 

Authentic leadership
is not about fitting a mold or following a script, but it's about leading with your true self, values first.

Authentic leadership is a nothing but individuals act with genuine integrity and transparency, guided by their strong internal moral compass and values. They are true to themselves and with their actions, which inspires trust and loyalty in their followers.

To achieve some of the qualities of Authentic Leadership characteristics, I have incorporated few key steps in my day today life;

Self Awareness: Knowing your inner self is they key to success in self awareness. Take time to reflect on  values, strengths, and weaknesses. What truly matters to us as an individual? What are the core beliefs? Journaling, meditation, and feedback from trusted colleagues can help us gain a deeper understanding of yourself.

I set aside 15 minutes each morning for mindful reflection. Ask myself: "What are my intentions for the day? How can I align my actions with my values?"

Walk the Talk - Align Actions with Values:
Follow what we preaching , talking or thinking, otherwise they are useless. Every decision we make, every interaction we have, should reflect our core principles in action. This consistency builds trust and credibility.

Before making a decision, big or small, ask yourself: "Does this align with my values? Will this decision inspire trust in others?". This practice will lead us to success.

Embrace Vulnerability: Show Your Human Side:
As a human showing vulnerabilities are not a bad thing at all. Lead by examples by admitting mistakes, sharing challenges, and expressing emotions authentically creates a safe space for others to do the same.

When make a mistake, own it. Instead of hiding it, use it as a learning opportunity for yourself and your team.

Listen Deeply: Connect with Empathy:
It is important truly listening to and understanding the perspectives of others. To understand the people genuinely practice active listening, ask open-ended questions, and show genuine empathy.

During conversations, focus on truly understanding the other person's point of view. Put aside distractions and listen with your full attention.

Cultivate Courage: Stand by Your Beliefs:
As a leader many of us makes tough decisions based on the situations and we need to have a courage to stand up for what we believe in, even when it's difficult.
Leaders make tough decisions based on their values, not popularity.

To achieve courage - Identify a situation where you need to speak up for what's right, even if it's uncomfortable. Prepare what you want to say and practice delivering your message with confidence.

Growth mindset: Embrace Continuous Learning:
Leadership is an ongoing journey, not a destination. Embrace continuous learning, seek feedback, and be open to evolving your perspective.

To celebrate growth mindset -  At the end of each week, reflect on your leadership. What did you learn? What can you improve? How can you grow as an authentic leader?

By incorporating some of these simple steps into our daily/weekly routine, we can cultivate authentic leadership and create a positive impact on people around us, our team, our organisation, and ourself. 

Remember, authenticity is not about perfection, it's about being true to yourself and leading with integrity.

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