In today's fast-paced business world, it's easy for leaders to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of achieving targets and meeting deadlines. However, true leadership goes beyond just getting the job done. Authentic leadership is about building trust, fostering loyalty, and inspiring your team to be the best they can be.
In this blog post, we'll explore the power of authentic leadership and how it can help you build a more successful and engaged team.
It sounds so easy - come to work, be yourself, get things done. But that can be far from the truth. Several factors can prevent people from being authentic leaders, such as fear of being themselves, a lack of self-awareness, and cultural or organisational pressure to conform to certain leadership styles or behaviours.
Additionally, some individuals may prioritise achieving short-term goals over building long-term relationships, which can hinder their ability to establish trust and loyalty with their team members.
It's important for leaders to recognise these potential barriers and work to overcome them to become more authentic and effective leaders.
Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and this is especially true in the workplace. As a leader, it's important to establish trust with your team members. This means being transparent, honest, and reliable. When your team members trust you, they are more likely to be open and honest with you, leading to better communication and collaboration.
One way to build trust is by leading by example. If you want your team members to be punctual and reliable, then you need to be punctual and reliable yourself. Show your team members that you will roll up your sleeves and work alongside them. When your team members see that you are willing to do the hard work, they will be more likely to follow your lead.
Another way to build trust is to be consistent. Consistency means following through on your promises, being fair, and treating team members equally. When you are consistent in your actions and decisions, your team members will trust you more and will be more likely to follow your lead.
Building loyalty is another important aspect of authentic leadership. When your team members feel loyal to you, they are likelier to go above and beyond to achieve their goals. Loyal team members are also more likely to stay with your company for the long term, reducing turnover and increasing productivity.
One way to foster loyalty is by creating a positive work environment. This means creating a culture of respect, trust, and collaboration. When your team members feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be loyal to your company and to you as their leader.
Another way to foster loyalty is to provide opportunities for growth and development. This means investing in your team members' training and development and providing them with opportunities to take on new challenges and responsibilities. When your team members see that you are invested in their success, they will be more likely to stay with your company and to work hard to achieve their goals.
Finally, authentic leadership is about inspiring your team to be their best. This means setting a clear vision for your team and communicating it in a way that inspires and motivates them. Furthermore, explain your organisation’s values so that the values and behaviours you are looking for become clear. When your team members feel inspired, they are more likely to be engaged and productive.
One way to inspire your team is by setting high standards. When you set high standards for your team, you are communicating to them that you believe in their abilities and that you expect them to succeed. This can be a powerful motivator for your team members.
By providing feedback and recognition, you can inspire your team. When your team members know that their hard work is appreciated, they are more likely to continue working hard and striving for success. Providing regular feedback and recognition can help keep your team members engaged and motivated.
Facilitating a team discussion about your team culture and values is an effective way to start to get your team members to open up and discuss what is working and not working in your team. Using your organisation’s values as the discussion springboard is highly effective.
Do this in a team meeting:
- Explain the significance of your vision and values and how they help you contribute to the organisation's success
- Take each value and discuss what it means in the context of your team
- Encourage the team members to share success stories when they have seen these values in action
- Ask how/when you could demonstrate these values more often.
- Create a simple action plan
- Review in 4-6 weeks to see how progressed
Authentic leadership is about building trust, fostering loyalty, and inspiring your team to be the best they can be. By leading by example, being consistent, creating a positive work environment, investing in your team member's growth and development, setting high standards, and providing feedback and recognition, you can become an authentic leader whom your team members respect and admire.
Remember, authentic leadership is not just about achieving targets and meeting deadlines. It's about building relationships and creating a culture of success that inspires your team members to achieve their full potential.
