Authentic Leadership –Awakening the Possibilities of Others

The best definition of leadership I have ever come across is from Ben Zander.  According to Mr. Zander “leadership is the ability to mobilize others by combining the analytical side of a vision with the passion of shared values, through creating something really meaningful to the people being led.  Leadership is a lot like conducting an orchestra; the conductor unifies performers, sets the tempo, executes clear preparations and beats, and listens critically to shape the sound of the ensemble.  To accomplish this artistic task the conductor must relinquish their own power and awaken the possibilities in the ensemble.”

In today’s environment, “top down” management doesn’t work anymore.  Employees want to be more fully engaged, and committed to what they are doing.  They want to feel as if their work matters.  Because of these higher expectations, it's vital for leaders to know how to inspire vision, passion, and confidence in the people they're leading. When people work alongside a truly authentic leader, they'll often give their whole hearts and minds to the cause. In these situations, the leader has created loyalty throughout an organization, resulting in higher morale and greater possibility.

The path to this type of leadership is not straight and well-defined.  Awakening the possibilities in others involves many different skills, traits, and actions. By focusing on some of the most common characteristics, you can start down your own path towards this.

There are four main themes to awakening the possibilities in others within your organization – ethics, power, communication, and the organization. 

Ethics

Authentic leaders are ethical leaders. They've identified their ethical codes, and they never compromise on what they believe to be right and wrong.

Power

All leaders have power. But authentic leaders know how to use the right kind of power for the good of the group, and for the goal that needs to be achieved.

Communication

Authentic leaders are excellent communicators. And they use a number of different communication strategies to pass along their values, awaken possibilities within their teams, and give clear commands.

The Organization

Leaders that awaken possibilities, never forget that they have an enormous responsibility. They put their companies and their people first.  

Authentic leadership involves a lot of different things much like conducting an orchestra. And developing the skills and characteristics needed should be an evolving journey, not a final destination.

Leadership Assimilation is a great way of Coaching through Change

Research indicates that 25 – 50% of all managers and executives fail to deliver what they were hired for at a total cost to the company of 10 – 25 times their base salary. One reason for this is that there isn’t a large enough emphasis placed on the onboarding or assimilation process of new managers and executives. Many times, companies fail to realize that even the smallest of changes to any organization can have a profound impact on the culture, groups, and individuals who comprise it. Groups often demonstrate some level of distrust, resistance, and/or conflict.

Coaching your organization through change is a key component to successfully assimilating a new manager or executive into his/her new role. Coaching can encourage people to see change as a positive opportunity rather than a threat. In addition, coaching can help to bring about more effective communication within the team, especially when everyone knows their role and their value to an organization.

Below are some questions to consider when coaching through change:

What does each member of the team want the new manager / executive to know about them?

What does the team need to know about the new manager / executive in order to be effective?

What does the new manager / executive need to know about the team as a whole?

What are the team’s expectations?

What are the managers / executives expectations?

Are there any issues that are urgent or a priority?

Coaching is a powerful tool for helping people understand and embrace change within an organization. While change can take a while, it is an investment that will pay off in the long term. Effective leadership assimilation through change is one way to build a stronger team, where everyone knows their role and value to the organization.