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Authenticity is a word used so often in business. But what do we really mean by it? Authenticity is being comfortable in your own skin while showing up consistently in a way that is true to you.

It’s not enough to say you’re authentic, you have to demonstrate it with your behaviours. People will spot a faker a mile off. When language, behaviours and values are not in harmony, people get a sense that something’s not right. It’s this sense of unease that can destroy the success of the strongest leader. Reviews of politicians are a really good case study!!!

I’m a firm believer that authenticity is baked right in. We’ve all worked with leaders who want to be ‘one of the team’ but completely change their behaviour when someone more senior is in the room. Or we’ve worked with people who don’t behave consistently, so we can’t always recognise them. Authenticity and trust go hand in hand and help build environments for others to flourish in.

Team members who need to work hard to read their boss will end up exhausted. Watching people change their behaviours based on where they are or who they are with is confusing and it undermines credibility. During my career, I have experienced this style of leadership and it was only after I made the connection between authenticity and personal values that I realised a genuine authentic leader would never behave this way. Leaders need to be in touch with their own personal values – and unwilling to compromise on them – in order to be authentic.

In fact, I’ve come across quite a range of leaders – either my own or those I’ve coached – so I thought it would be interesting to categorise some of the styles. These examples are the opposite of authentic, with inconsistency, mistrust and a lack of credibility as their tools. They compromise team relationships and they display a broken link between values and behaviours, making it impossible to form a trusting bond with them.

Read on and find out who you’ve come across in your career!

1.   The Shape Shifter

The Shape Shifter is always evolving. They will bypass their own values to maintain their position or role in the organisation. In the short term, you may have agreed something, and it will suddenly be pooh-poohed in front of your peers. Longer term, they will simply just evolve to fit each “regime”. You never really know what they actually stand for. This leader lacks credibility among their team. The feeling of confusion and risk runs high as no-one knows when they will next change their mind. Unless you like the feeling of riding a big dipper in the dark, this leader is not for you.

2.   The Drain

When it comes to energy, there are two types of people: radiators and drains. The radiators are those who make you feel good just by being in the room. Their energy is contagious and they often send people away feeling inspired. Drains feed on the energy in the room, consuming it and yet fail to give anything back. Typical ‘drain’ behaviours might be to take credit for others’ work without giving any attribution. As a result, their team is uninspired, lacking energy, innovation or enthusiasm. Their negativity means team members have a lack of insight into what makes them tick (in fact, it’s possible that not much does). This, in turn puts the team on eggshells; unsure as to what is wanted or how they should interact. Drains, and their black-hole style energy diminishing aura, should be avoided at all costs.

3.   The Pleaser

Don’t be fooled by the name of this leader, it won’t always be you they’re pleasing. They will say ‘yes’ no matter what the consequences are for them or their team because they want to please their seniors. They won’t fight their own corner because they want to avoid confrontation at all costs. As a member of their team, you are likely to be stuck in overwhelm with too much to do because your leader has said yes to everyone. The Pleaser leaves their team directionless because they themselves have no loyalty or priorities and can’t say no. So, when confronted by this leader, you need to do what they can’t and just say no.

4.   The Poker Player

By working for this leader, you can look forward to never knowing what’s going on. You won’t get feedback and there will be no chance to refine proposals or learn from mistakes because you’ll be working in an emotional void. This leader wants to exist in secret, their leadership persona is completely separate from their actual personality. Everything happens behind closed doors and there’s no chance of forming a relationship with them. Trust is off the table, as is any shred of authenticity. If you’re dealt this hand, it’s time to get out of the game.

It’s important to note the connection between authenticity and flexibility, or the ability to adapt to changing scenarios. The two are by no means mutually exclusive and the consistency I refer to with regards to authentic leadership is consistency in honest and real reactions. Consistently being true to your values, whatever the perceived outcome of that.

Writing this has made me think of a great quote by Wayne W Dyer “Remind yourself that you cannot fail at being yourself.” Authenticity shouldn’t be something we have to practise or work hard at. Providing we know and understand our own values and are driven to live by them, authenticity should come naturally. And life will certainly be easier for us all if we are true to ourselves and not wasting effort putting on an act.

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