The ABCs of Leadership- Authenticity, Boldness & Compassion

First let me start by saying (in my humble opinion) that no one defines leadership better than John C. Maxwell, “The true measure of Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less” (from his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.) This is “law #2, the Law of Influence.  I was fortunate enough to have been gifted this book very early in my leadership career, back when I was starting my first role as a manager.

I recall my boss at the time saying something peculiar (I was puzzled and irritated by this at the time,) “lead, don’t manage.”  I didn’t know the difference between the two, I thought they were one and the same. He then gifted me this book, which opened my eyes in ways I never imagined.  Reading about the 21 laws and continuously trying to apply them since then has been career-altering.

The most profound thing I learned next was the lesson from Simon Sinek’s book Start with Why.  That lesson was about sharing the vision, the mission, and the “why” with people so they not only understand the “purpose”, but they then make it their own, making it easier for them to want to follow you as the leader.  Once it becomes their own journey, they strive to work tirelessly to find creative ways to work out the what and the how of delivering on that why.

 Finally, as I matured as a leader, I learned that “Leadership is a Privilege to better the lives of others. It is not an opportunity to satisfy personal greed,” per Mwai Kibaki, former President of Kenya.  Wow, that was profound to learn and fully understand.  The old traditional mindset was that being a leader of course meant you had followers, but perhaps it was also being the boss, the one who commands and controls!  Of course, they have to respect you, and follow you, that was their job (the people working for you), or so we were led to believe.  But in the end, it isn’t at all that way, is it.

Now that we’ve unpacked leadership as influence, as something that has to start with the why, and ultimately as a privilege, let me share what I learned on the How of leadership.  What really works.

So many so-called leaders have titles, but aren’t easy to follow, while others don’t have titles, but we find ourselves following them.  For the latter, It’s because we believe in them and they have direct influence on us in ways we can or sometimes can’t articulate. 

At True Leadership’s core are the ABC’s- Authenticity, Boldness, and Compassion.

To be a True leader, you find a person who is authentic and genuine in how they show up, talk and act, while exhibiting boldness in their actions, and always remaining compassionate towards those they lead and interact with.  The ABCs of leadership help build trust and demonstrate solid character, ultimately leading to stronger bonds with the people that surround you. 

Authenticity

Authenticity is about being truly you.  Be the only version of you, wherever you go.  Let people see who you really are and share truths and more of yourself.  It is about allowing yourself to be vulnerable, sharing what really concerns you, while knowing where the boundaries are.  It doesn’t mean you have to cry publicly, but if it happens at a very sensitive moment, it is seen as being human.  It also means being consistent with your thoughts and words on your beliefs and living them.  It is walking the talk.

Boldness

So many people have dreams of what they want to do and be, yet they don’t find it easy to get there.  Oftentimes they fail to take that next step of execution, which makes all the difference.  It takes a ton of courage to do what scares you, stepping out of your comfort zone into the unknown…taking risk, facing the possibility of failure. Dare to be brave and do what scares you.  Actually follow through on your promises to others, but also to yourself!  Be consistent, even when you’re feeling unsure.  Boldness is about doing the thing that is outside of your normal warm and fuzzy zone, even when you’re not feeling ready, because it’s “doing what’s right and not just what’s easy” (this one is a favorite self-quote, which I live and die by.)  Go ahead, challenge the status quo, step on some toes, ask for forgiveness and not permission sometimes.  Don’t fear failure, as” mistakes refine you, they don’t define you” (another favorite self-quote.)

Compassion

Last time I checked, we are all human first and then a myriad of other roles in this world. We must always be in touch with the fact that we have a thousand more things in common than in difference. Always remember to lead with heart, care about those around you. Empathy is key to hearts and minds. This next quote by Theodore Roosevelt is so true, “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.” At the root of being human is the desire to be loved and cared for. Compassion is by far the greatest gift you can give towards others, whether you lead them or follow them or they’re simply in one of your life’s circles. Compassion isn’t saved just for people you like, it’s even for people you dislike. You never really know what peoples' lives and journey have been, so being compassionate shows up as giving people the benefit of the doubt, assuming positive intent, and trying to see the good in them instead of the not so good.

And there you have it, the ABCs of True Leadership…a simple way to remember what it takes to be truly in touch with what matters when you show up as a leader. You already know the why you want to lead, and I’m certain in your role you’ll find out the what you need to lead. The rest of it, the how, is all up to you.

For more inspiration on leadership topics, you can visit my website (www.noraosman.com) for a wealth of resources (recommended books, podcasts, editorials and quotes), or enjoy these light reads:

On Authenticity

The Humanity of Trust- the Foundation for Business Success

The Importance of Building Your and Your Teams BRAND

Executive Presence- What it is and tips on how to build your own.

On Boldness

Courage...and Lighting the Torch to Service Management Innovation!

The Modern CIO: Transformative & Compassionate- Mission, Priorities, and Leadership Approach.

True Leaders are Rock Stars

On Compassion

Unveiling the Secret Sauce for Cultivating Employee Engagement- Caring

Hearing and Listening- the importance of managers doing both well.

Parallels Between People and Plants: Lessons in Growth and Care