" I had no idea that just being your authentic self could make me as rich as I have become. If I had, I would have done it a lot earlier!" - Oprah Winfrey
Indian women are making their leadership presence felt in various fields. Be it business, education, health, politics, finance, science, etc.; she is constantly evolving and reaching newer heights at regional, national and global levels. People tend to look up to such women for inspiration and motivation. However, organisational norms and culture can influence her leadership style and behaviour. This often leads to suppressing one's values and style, which could impact her productivity.
Hence it is crucial to lead with a unique style and become an authentic leader.
What does Authentic leadership mean?
Authentic leadership is when leaders behave genuinely and always stay true to who they are, no matter the circumstances. A genuine leader develops a healthy alignment between values and behaviour- a decisive factor, especially in the lives of women leaders. Leaders adopting authentic management tend to inspire trust, loyalty and better output from their subordinates.
How do you become a successful authentic woman leader?
Authentic leaders are not born with this skill; they develop and nurture this style from the experiences gained over the years as a leader. Here's what you can do to lead more authentically.
Be Self-Aware
Delve into yourself. Find out your strengths and weaknesses, values, likes and dislikes---things that are important to you and things you want to change. Self-understanding is the critical component of behaving and leading authentically. Set aside time to reflect and learn more about yourself.
Assess and Evaluate
Once you become aware of your strengths and weaknesses, you will be in a better position to align your behaviour with your beliefs. Focus on what you have given up, what is most important to you and what you want. What you decide could change at various points in your life. Set goals for yourself, and ensure they align with your values.
Act
Once your goals are set, act upon them. Change doesn't happen overnight; take time to introduce these changes. Take small steps to align your behaviour with your most important values. You may focus more on your well-being, for which you may cut back on your work time. It may affect your job performance, but focusing on yourself could make you more resilient and help you become a more productive woman leader.
Seek support
Asking family and friends to help you in your journey to becoming an authentic woman leader can help you achieve your goals faster. They can offer you different types of support. But developing authenticity may sometimes require you to go against what others advise you. Listen to all, but trust your gut. Remember, no one knows you better than you know yourself. Do what is right for you.
Becoming an authentic woman leader is a lot of hard work. But stay committed to the purpose. It is worth the effort. Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Career Foundation) provides excellent tips, courses and guidance to understand the meaning of authentic leadership.
