One of our values at DSG is "Open and Honest Communication". Success starts with authenticity, doing our jobs without compromising our values, personality, and our brand.
In the age of misinformation and disinformation, and in South Africa specifically which is burdened by corruption, we are seeing how important it is to have authentic leadership development that is built to last. Those who have successfully developed their brands have learned to strategically apply what they know about themselves as individuals to create more meaningful connections with others, relationships that ultimately drive business success every day.
Being authentic is a powerful way to differentiate yourself from your competition. Authenticity brings out the best in others, which means nothing will hold you from achieving your mission. Authenticity improves people as individuals, but it also makes for a more robust company culture and greater productivity overall.
Authenticity as the foundation of trust
Authenticity is the foundation of trust, and if there's one thing every business needs, it's to build trust with its stakeholders. People who have an authentic leadership style bring their whole selves to their jobs and participate fully and honestly in the workplace. Organisations that foster authentic behaviour are more likely to have engaged, enthusiastic, motivated employees.
Traditional organisational structures are being challenged and the new work-from-home or hybrid working environment makes it even more difficult to manage people and create alignment with company values and culture. Top talent is seeking work that is both meaningful and impactful.
Authentic leaders have the integrity and skills to make the right choices when necessary. They have self-awareness which enables them to understand themselves better and therefore have more meaningful relationships with employees, the organization, and the vision. Their genuineness, modesty, and humility allow them to share the glory with team members. They have empathy and ethics which gives them the ability to support their team and remain committed to #DoingSomethingGreat.
Building value through values
We promote a culture that is results focused. It empowers you to create a future beyond your present reality and enables you to energise your employees to see the vision as clearly as you do. Employees share in the profits of the company, so their direct efforts determine their earnings.
A big obstacle to authenticity is often a strong need to maintain a certain image. Leaders may have defined their image of "executive" or "leader" more narrowly than they need to. Effective leaders let go of the tight limits or expectations of how they need to appear, revealing their personality and humanness.
If you want to build the right culture, you need to set the right values. If you have not read the book by Fred Kofman "Conscious Business: How to Build Value through Values" I highly recommend it. Once you have established your values, you can better understand how aligned your behaviours are with your values and ethics. You can be clear on what's most important to you now and what you will and will not do to get there.
I often remind my team of a quote from Shep Hyken: "The customer may not always be right, but they are the customer. So, let them be wrong with dignity and respect." If their behaviour does not match our culture and values, we should let them go. We do not do business at all costs. It is important to be happy and have fun at work, and that is why our brand essence is "Serious Fun."
Effective communication and authentic leadership
Authentic leadership development begins with building trust and vulnerability between yourself and your team members. To build trust in yourself as a leader, it's critical that you are truthful, and that includes admitting when you are wrong or do not have all the answers. You must also be able to communicate honestly what you expect from team members while simultaneously listening to their ideas and concerns.
Effective communication is so important for leaders to build trust and show authenticity. You influence the organization's culture when you tell stories about what happened, how a problem was solved, or someone who did something great. Clarity of thought and message is key, so think about what you want to say. Every question and every conversation is an opportunity to share ideas, vision, and values with honesty.
The Cambridge English Dictionary defines authenticity as "The quality of being real or true." The experts seem to agree that authentic leadership is about being you and making room for others, too. It includes a healthy dose of common sense and values.
The reason authentic leadership is in such high demand is that people are tired of air-brushed leaders sitting on their high horses. Leading from a distance is yesterday's game. Today's employees are inspired by real people who are honest, brave, and willing to roll up their sleeves and climb into the trenches.
Growing as a leader
Authenticity requires your thoughts, words, and actions to be in alignment. This is true when at work and maintaining it outside of the workplace. That alignment occurs when you are honest with yourself about the trade-offs you are making and why you are making them.
The best leaders are continuously and consciously growing. They create a leadership learning plan for themselves and review it frequently. Strong leaders give fair consideration to differing viewpoints. They pause and make a point of asking questions to more fully understand team members' perspectives before making a judgment.
People want leaders they can connect with who understand them. They seek leaders they can relate to. If you want to fully harness the power of your team, you have to offer more than just a salary. You have to tap into their intrinsic motivation and inspire them as human beings first.
Authentic leadership is a bridge to an inspired and motivated team. It is a "heart" connection. #DoingSomethingGreat is always acting from the heart and therefore being authentic in everything you do.