The Authentic Leadership Summit 2020 returns for its 6th year in March – a 4-day event where you will discover programs with real-world results about leading with integrity, trust, and openness.
AUTHENTICITY IN ACTION
The decision to move toward authenticity is a step in the right direction. Building trust begins by giving followers an understanding of what goes on behind closed doors.
In a competitive environment where secrets are guarded closely, an open and honest approach to business can gain considerable favour not only with the people in your organisation but with the public-at-large.
You can look at every aspect of your business to see what could be made better by transparency and honesty. But first, some self-examination is needed to start your journey towards leading with authenticity –
As a leader, how honest are you with yourself?
Are you aware of your biases? How about your emotional triggers? Are you making a conscious effort to take them out of the equation? How do they impact your everyday decision making
As a business owner, how transparent are you?
What is your relationship like with your stakeholders, employees, audience and customers? Are you connecting with them in an honest and meaningful way?
5 Key Actions You Can Do Today To Start Leading a Culture of Authenticity
1. First, take a moment to self-reflect
As a business leader, you are under enormous pressure to make many tough decisions every day. Constantly remind yourself to step back and check – are you worried? Fearful? Angry? Self-awareness lends clarity and perspective for important decisions.
2. Invite honest feedback
Soliciting feedback is the first step to inspiring your team to keep it real at work. A good rule of thumb for starting a culture of candor is – Don’t dish it if you can’t hack it!
3. Rule with transparency
It costs almost nothing to practice transparency. You will see vast improvements in team cooperation when you break down barriers to communication. This means sharing information freely, keeping them in the loop and letting them know that it is safe to speak up.
4. Listen to your customers
Make it a priority to ask your customers what is important to them and how you can serve them better. You may worry that by being honest with customers, they will leave you. On the flipside, customers who appreciate your candor will trust you and stay with you for life.
5. Own your mistakes, no matter how painful
The radical approach to owning a devastating mistake is to admit responsibility and then ask for feedback. It’s like asking for more pain after crashing. Taking awful, humiliating feedback is sometimes necessary to get on the path of recovery and success.
The bottom-line
Leading with authenticity is simply better business. The most loved companies are not only forthcoming but are open to brutal honesty from their followers because they know how critical that feedback is to their long-term success.
Discover the insights and hard-earned lessons from an impressive lineup of speakers by reserving your spot for the Authentic Leadership Summit 2020 today.
