Imagine feeling lost in a corporate environment, yearning for a leader who inspires confidence and trust. Authentic leadership in the workplace is becoming more important and expected. The effects of having real, sincere leaders cannot be disputed; these leaders excel at driving a team toward goals. So what exactly is an authentic leader? If you have some burning questions about authentic leadership, scheduling a call to discuss the topic with one of our leadership coaches might be a good idea. In the meantime, here are some key traits of authentic leaders.

Integrity

Integrity is a word that is often thrown around in the discussion of leadership, but it’s not often defined. For our purposes, consider integrity a combination of honesty, ethics and consistency. For example, a leader would demonstrate integrity by being candid with their team when they admit that they don’t know what budget cuts might mean for their department. They also show a high moral code when faced with opportunities to get ahead. Finally, they continuously deliver what and when they say they’re going to.

Empathy

Empathy also plays a big role in leading authentically. It involves understanding and connecting with the people you work with. Someone who exemplifies empathy not only knows what someone is feeling but also feels it with them. For example, an empathetic leader will show genuine concern when a team member says they’re feeling burnt out. They validate their team members’ feelings vs. answering a concern defensively. 

Transparency

Transparency, the third trait of authentic leaders, involves open communication and trust-building. Transparent leaders understand what information is beneficial for the team to know, even if it means showing humility and admitting mistakes in the process.

To summarize, authentic leaders demonstrate integrity, empathy and transparency. In doing so, they inspire teams to rally behind a common goal. If you’d like to grow in your authentic leadership skills, contact us to talk about leadership coaching. The initial call is free, informational and low-pressure. We’d love to chat with you.