To grow as a leader you must dive into projects and activities, interact with different kinds of people, experiment with new ways of getting things done – and try out various leadership styles. Most learning involves some form of imitation (and understanding that nothing is “original”). So stop viewing authenticity as an intrinsic state. It’s really an ability to take elements you have learned from others’ styles and behaviors and make them your own. But don’t copy just one person’s leadership style; tap many diverse role models. There is a big difference between totally imitating someone and borrowing selectively from various people to create, modify, and improve your own leadership style. It’s OK to be inconsistent from one day to the next. That’s not being a fake: it’s how you figure out what’s right for new challenges and circumstances.
Adapted from “
The Authenticity Paradox” by Herminia Ibarra.
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