The 10 Principles of Authentic Leaders
Adapted from Michael O’Malley of HBR by Michael Griffin
5 minute read
Last week I sat down with Mette Johansson to discuss her upcoming book on authentic leadership. We discussed how being an authentic leader means actively living your core values in the cultures you live in and the relationships you have. I then read the article by Michael O’Malley of HBR on the 10 Principles of Effective Leadership and made the connection that effective organizations are led by authentic leaders who practice these 10 principles. Let’s review them in light of how authentic leaders (AL) practice them.
Encourage cooperation. AL’s foster cooperation and collaboration in teams and across teams. They believe “together we are better.” Divide and rule is not in their playbook of leading others.
Organize for change. AL’s vision needed change by “generating a consensus of meaning and action. They build the case for change, create a positive mindset for change, convince others of the value and legitimacy of the change efforts, and battle against systemic forces of institutional inertia that lock companies into their current, misguided trajectories. Confidence, conviction, and courage are values helpful companions in this journey.
Anticipate the future. I recently reviewed the Fortune list of Most Admired Companies from 1985 to 2022. No company in the top ten in 1985 is in the 2022 top ten list. AL leaders are not afraid to vision the future and make changes based on their values. Their values are their compass to vision & navigate change to stay relevant and competitive.
Remain flexible. AL’s know how to reconcile discipline with flexibility and adjust strategy and KPI’s when needed to adapt to change. Their authenticity builds trust across the organization to create cultures that are secure but flexible.
Create distinctive spaces. COVID seems to have created work environments of work from the office, home or a hybrid. AL’s create work environments that show care and creativity to motivate individuals and teams to do their best. AL’s create environments that are safe, comfortable, and conducive to excellence.
Diversify your workforce — and create an inclusive environment. O’Malley states “Studies routinely show that gender and racial diversity, for example, improve the performance of workgroups, top management teams, and boards of directors when conditions of inclusion prevail.” Inclusive diversity is encouraged by AL’s as they are secure and open based on their value of respecting others diverse backgrounds and views. AL’s understands when respectful inclusion is encouraged, it can be a real competitive advantage through change.
Promote personal growth. AL’s proactively plan for promotes and monitor their employee’s personal growth. Their motto is “we train, coach, and develop people for success, not failure.” Helping others succeed is a core AL value.
Empower People. AL’s are secure leaders just because they are authentic. They understand that productive empowerment is a win for the employee, team, and the AL. Creating a functional empowered environment “entails a significant shift in culture and operations with increased information-sharing, technological enhancements, participative decision making, extensive training, collaborative problem solving, and team trust” says O’Malley.
Reward high performers. AL’s executes well, merit-based pay for performance plans to increase job satisfaction and motivate people to action. It is common in teams that the top members will lift the performances of good, but less capable, members. A good example of this is found in successful sales organizations where a high-performing salesperson can make more income than the sales manager. AL’s celebrate and reward success when others achieve.
Foster a leadership culture. AL’s create supportive, inclusive management practices that are safe to allow people to take reasonable risks, make mistakes, speak up and challenge the status quo, and ask for help, and request resources to make improvements. AL’s inspire a culture of proactive self-leadership. AL’s who create safe work environments encourage employees to more openly and beneficially interact, learn and grow, display greater creativity, and think of themselves as potent and efficacious team members that can contribute to organizational success.
Do a personal survey of your leadership by answering these questions:
“What personal values do I live by that make me an authentic leader?”
“ How would I rank myself on a scale of 1 to 10 these 10 principles in my current role as a leader?”
“ Am I secure enough to ask my team members to rank me on each of the principles?”
“What changes must I make to be a more authentic leader who demonstrates value-driven leadership?”
Be the best leader you can be by being “authentic!”
Michael J Griffin
CEO and Founder of ELAvate
Maxwell Leadership Founding Member
A leader who Inspires Inclusive Diversity