Get Real
Over the past few years, organizations are becoming more and more concerned about aligning individual and organizational values with how the business operates on a daily basis (Kinsler, 2014). One leadership approach that is currently being explored in response to this concern is Authentic Leadership. The word authentic is derived from the Greek word “authentikos” which means “real”. Leadership scholars are quick to point out that authentic leadership is not a specific leadership style. Instead, it is an integral part of a leader’s way of being (Gardner et al., 2011). Authentic leadership involves focusing on the whole person through four core dimensions: self-awareness, trustful relationships, open and unbiased thinking, and strong moral values.
It makes sense that individuals who want to build authenticity into their leadership approach need to discover who they are, what they stand for, and how they can communicate that in an honest and transparent way to build meaningful relationships.
Does Mindfulness Practice Help You Build Authenticity?
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise to you that there’s a strong link between mindfulness and authenticity, since being mindful means to intentionally focus on the present in an open and non-judgmental way. The means by which mindfulness promotes authenticity is by allowing an individual to focus on self-discovery and self-awareness, which opens the pathway to understanding your strengths and weaknesses (Kinsler, 2014).
While it might be intuitive that authenticity and mindfulness are linked, it’s even better when there is empirical evidence of this relationship. For example, two consecutive studies recently completed by Nubold et al., (2019) found that leaders with higher levels of mindfulness were more likely to show authentic leadership behaviors, as perceived by themselves and their followers. The researchers also found that even a short-term mindfulness program can be a valuable tool for enhancing a leader’s level of mindfulness and for improving authentic leadership behaviors.
All of us are leaders in one way or another and have a significant impact on those around us. Exploring who we are, what we stand for, and then acting on this discovery can improve our lives and help shape the lives of everyone we come in contact with. Why not start your personal journey of self-discovery and self-awareness today? You don’t need to go away to a week-long retreat, nor do you have to carve out significant time from your everyday life to begin this journey. You can begin your self-reflection process in as little as five minutes. To help you get started, we’ve attached one of our many Levelhead self-reflection practices.
REFERENCES
Gardner, W. L., Cogliser, C. C., Davis, K. M., & Dickens, M. P. (2011). Authentic leadership: A review of the literature and research agenda. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(6), 1120–1145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.09.007
Kinsler, L. (2014). Born to be me...who am I again? The development of authentic leadership using evidence-based leadership coaching and mindfulness. International Coaching Psychology Review, 9(1), 92–105.
Nübold, A., Van Quaquebeke, N., & Hülsheger, U. R. (2019). Be (com) ing Real: a Multi-source and an Intervention Study on Mindfulness and Authentic Leadership. Journal of Business and Psychology, 1-20.