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Authentic leaders are genuine individuals who show their true selves to the people they lead.

Authentic leaders are genuine individuals who show their true selves to the people they lead. They have the courage to share their emotions, vulnerabilities and honest opinions with others. They can be trusted to present as the same person in both their public and private lives; allowing them to connect more deeply with others. Authentic leaders demonstrate behaviours that allow others to trust in them all the time; they take ownership when they have made a mistake, and they share responsibility when their teams make mistakes.

Authentic leadership has been described as an alignment of head, mouth, heart and feet – thinking, saying, feeling and doing the same thing, consistently. This allows the leader to build trust, another critical component of effective leadership.

Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston, spent two decades studying courage, and empathy. She recently published Dare to Lead, a book on the future of leadership following seven years of dedicated study in the area. She describes authenticity as “a daily practice. Choosing authenticity means: cultivating the courage to be emotionally honest, to set boundaries, and to allow ourselves to be vulnerable.”

Recommended Courses

These courses are ones recommended by B.C. Corrections to fulfill the competencies for the topic of Authenticity.

Beyond Bias: How We Naturally Form Perceptions
Unconscious bias is a phenomenon that all humans engage as a mechanism to help explain and understand our surroundings. Unfortunately, it can inhibit our interactions and make us draw conclusions that are incorrect (From: JIBC; Mode: Independent learning, online module; Next offered: ongoing).
Lead Yourself First
At the core of being an effective leader is the knowledge of who you are in order to lead authentically. In this course, learners will gain a deeper understanding of their personal leadership style and its impact on others (From: JIBC; Mode: In-person, scheduled course; Next offered: n/a)
Additional Resources

Look here for a random selection of additional audio, video, and readings to expand an understanding of Authenticity.

Want to Speak from the Heart? Answer this Question First
This post from TED Ideas explores a question at the core of confidence "Figuring out your answer to “Why you?” can help you speak authentically and build your confidence, says communication coach Allison Shapira" (online article).
How Showing Vulnerability Helps Build a Stronger Team
Author Daniel Coyle suggests that sharing one's vulnerability as a leader is a key to developing trust and cooperation in teams (online article).
The Power of Vulnerability
Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity (TED talk).
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