Why Authenticity Matters | 9 Reasons Not to Fake It as a Leader

23/07/2024

Embracing Your True Self for Effective, Trustworthy, and Happy Leadership

Years ago, I was a new head of department for a global company. I had my first big meeting with the executive team. I wheeled out a fancy presentation; it had all the bells and whistles, the data was immaculate – but it fell completely flat, and it’s fair to say that I spectacularly screwed the whole thing up.

My boss asked me afterward how I thought the meeting had gone. I told him the truth. He said to me, “Yep, Anna, you were terrible. Because you were trying to be some leader you thought you ought to be, someone you thought they wanted you to be. But I didn’t hire that person; I hired you – so, please, do me a favour, don’t try to fake it and just be her.”

9 Reasons NOT to Fake It

1) It Actually Feeds Imposter Syndrome

That horrible thing that 70% of leaders struggle with? We make it worse when we try to be something we are not, increasing our fear that we will get found out.

2) People Can’t Trust You

If you act confident when on the inside you’re anything but, people can see that, and they won’t trust you. It’s also impossible to fake it permanently, so you appear inconsistent and unreliable.

3) You’ll Never Soar

If you’re trying to fake it in a position that isn’t right or by trying to be a leader that you’re not, you’re never going to make it because your wings will always be clipped. The only way to brilliance is by being you on your A-game.

4) Neither Will Others

If you’re faking it, others will too. In a world where diversity, inclusion, and belonging are essential for effective, happy workplaces, there is only one message that faking it sends: You are not good enough as you are, any of you.

5) It’s Miserable

Thinking all day about what you “should” do is a killer. We hear from leaders every day that the fact they don’t feel like they can be themselves at work is completely and utterly knackering.

6) Things Get Stale

When we look at leaders around us and try to emulate them, even if it’s not really us, we lose our own freshness, our independent thinking, our creativity – jeez, we lose our spirit.

7) It Clouds Your Judgement

When we learn (or we’re taught) to doubt our natural instincts, we lose sight of our own judgement. It’s almost like we’ve lost our anchor into who we are and what we know to be true.

8) It Stifles Relationships

Faking it is confusing and contagious. We can’t form close bonds when we’re faking it – and it can lead to others feeling negative, competitive, or like they can’t be themselves too.

9) You’ll Never Be Happy

Our job as a leader is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we ought to be, but to discover the leader we already are and realise it. And it is this leader, YOU, that will feel happy, be happy, and Lead Happy™.

We help brave and ambitious leaders discover and understand their natural leadership style to lead growth, lead confidently – but above all, Lead Happy™.