3 Ways To Be An Authentic Leader

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One of the most important attributes of modern leaders isn’t something learned in a business textbook; it is authenticity. Employees want to work for leaders who are uniquely themselves and true to their beliefs.

The key to being an authentic leader is to be yourself.

In many ways, Andree Simon, CEO of FINCA Impact Finance, isn’t a typical leader and doesn’t have a typical CEO role. Andree spends half the year visiting employees and customers in remote locations around the world, including Tanzania, Pakistan, and Haiti. She doesn’t try to fit into a mold—she is just herself. To be successful in the future, Andree believes all leaders need to stop trying to fit into a mold and instead be true to their authentic selves.

When I interviewed Andree for my book, The Future Leader, she shared three ways leaders can be authentic:

Take care of yourself.

Many leaders focus on becoming the version of themselves they think others expect them to be instead of taking time to develop their true selves. Take time for your physical and emotional health by exercising, meditating, and getting in tune with your emotions. Taking care of herself gives Andree energy and helps her stay true to her values, even with the many pressures of being a leader.

Be a learning leader.

Authentic leaders are always learning and improving to become the best versions of themselves. Learning leaders stay on top of news and trends but are also aware of where they personally need to improve, grow, and learn. Developing a learning mindset helps leaders balance having the confidence to lead a team with the humility to realize there is always more to learn.

Don’t have all the answers.

No one knows everything. Some leaders fake it and pretend they have all the answers, but authentic leaders realize when they need help and ask questions. Authentic leaders listen to feedback from their teams to work through issues together. Encouraging collaboration helps leaders build relationships with their employees and create an environment of trust.

Every business is different, just like every leader is different. Leaders don’t have to fit into a mold but instead should be authentic and true to themselves. As leaders practice authenticity, they encourage their employees to also be themselves and create a welcoming and trusting environment.

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