I keep a running list of topics that I want to write about and reflect about for this blog. According to my plan, I was going to write about the book Lean In today. But, I didn’t want to. In light of the controversy circling about Facebook and Sheryl Sandburg, the author of Lean In, her advice rings inauthentic. I have been thinking a lot about authenticity in the workplace and so, perhaps, my schedule was the best prompt to put some of my thoughts into words.
Authentic leadership is still being researched and formulated into a practice base–which to me seems, well, inauthentic. Authentic leadership is about building relationships based on honesty and ethics. Are we still in a place in our humanity that we need to build an evidence base around the benefits of honesty and ethics at work? Apparently so.
I have always been drawn to work at mission-focused and -driven organizations. Perhaps such organizations cultivate natural, authentic leaders. Perhaps that shows my bias, too, towards thinking that achieving a lofty mission while doing right by people is more important than the bottom line, profit, or reputation.
Why do we have to pit profit or self-interest against doing right by people, ethics, and authenticity? I have had the good fortune of working with and for truly authentic leaders and certainly hope that I emulate and model that style. My question today is how we can teach it and cultivate future leaders who put ethics first? Any ideas?