Thursday, 17th of June 2021

Why 'Authentic Leadership' and 'Sincere Leadership' are not always the same

In December 2017 I already wrote a blog about Sincere Leadership (click here to read it).
Now, 3 years and 6 months later, it's time for an updated perspective on this.
Or should I say a refined perspective, because in essence, everything that I've written in my previous blog, is still very relevant!

The only thing that I would like to update, is to add a broader lens to look at the subject.

Keep on reading to discover everything you need to know about 'Sincere Leadership'.

As described in the "Sincere leadership, the leadership style of a true Ambitious Leader" blog, sincere leadership is all about the genuineness of your intentions: if you ask someone a question, ask it because you truly want to know; if you're listening to someone, listen because you're really interested.

So what's the difference then, when compared to 'authentic leadership'? (that other leadership style that's clearly gaining increased interest as an antidote to the situational leadership style)
Well, in an ideal situation, your authenticity and your serenity are indeed aligned. But I can imagine some situations where it's not. Imagine, for example, the extreme situation where a teammate's parents tragically died in a car accident at the exact same moment when there's a huge deadline in front of you that could influence the rest of your career. Then how do you react? Your serenity makes you feel sorry and you want to express your true support to that teammate. Your authentic self, however, is a go-getter and wants to rush for that deadline. Clearly a conflicting situation.

The true Sincere Leadership style
True serenity has to do with your bigger vision: why are you here as a leader? What's your real contribution to the team or the company? And are you acting accordingly?

For me, the most important role of a leader, is to create other leaders -not merely followers. By creating other leaders, you will be able to bring things forward, because everybody is able to -and willing to- take initiative, responsibility and actually bring those intentions into practice.
Creating those other leaders requires a lot of guidance, allowing people to make mistakes, and letting them find their own zone of genius (even when that's not the original role you intended for them).

If you have that vision of the bigger whole clearly projected on your retina, it's all about your attitude and behaviour to make that vision happen.
Your behaviour should represent that atmosphere of learning and growing, without being too loose. Because, in the end, we're still living and working in an economic reality. So yes, there should be end results, and yes, we should perform in a way that makes them happen.

That combination of focussing on the bigger whole, and combining it with the right attitude to make it happen, create a form of predictability around you as a leader. People already know upfront how you will react to situations, and what to expect from you. This makes you a very trustworthy and solid leader. The rock in the white waters of daily business chaos.

So, being a sincere leader, means that your behaviour is completely in line with what you believe to be your ultimate purpose. And making sure that that ultimate purpose, the behaviour you need to display to make that happen, and your true personal preferences of performing and communication (=your authenticity) are all aligned. Then, when all those things come together, you're a fantastic, future proof, strong and yet beloved leader!

To get to that level, requires knowing and understanding yourself to the deepest level:

• You should know your preferences
  

  What's your preferred communication style?
  What's your unique way of having fun?
  What's your way of combining play and professionalism, fun and seriousness?
  Your true, unique, own way; not what you've learned, not what is socially desirable.
  The way in which you do things when nobody is watching.
  That's your true authentic self.
  

• You should know your ultimate purpose
  

  Why are you here as a leader?
  Even bigger, why are you here on earth?
  What is your real contribution to the team or the company?
  If you know exactly why you get out of bed in the morning, and what drives you throughout the day, to end your day with fulfilment and joy, then you can act in line with this and put it out into the world.
  

• You should know how to behave accordingly
  

  There are always multiple ways to do something. And some of those ways will lead you more directly towards your goal or purpose, while others might lead you through some unknown territory. Both are fine. But you have to know which one to choose in which moment.
  And to close the circle, hopefully, the routes you choose are fully in line with your true authentic self (the first point mentioned).
  

So, how far along are you on your path of total self-discovery?
Can you clearly define the 3 points mentioned above?
Do you feel some hiatuses in those 3 points?
Or do you know the answers, and feel some conflict between them and/or your daily practice?

For each of the above, we, at The Happiness Factory, can help you!
Drop us a line at info@thehappinessfactory.be, or book a (re-)connect or clarity session with one of us, and we will be more than happy to have a conversation about your specific situation and context, to bring out the Sincere Leader you ought to be.

Click the button, choose 'Online Services', select a Clarity-session or (re-)connect session, choose your coach, and pick the moment that suits you best to have the conversation.

Written by Dennis Fredrickx, Coach for Ambitous Leaders
Dennis helps Ambitious Leaders to reach more in an easier way.