Leading with Authenticity - Building Trust in the Modern World
“I believe that being authentic is one of the main keys to understanding the next generation. But authenticity is more than just a leadership method; it encompasses every part of our lives…
So, what is authenticity? How can leaders, particularly young leaders, lead with integrity and authenticity?”
- Lisa Quiram
By: Lisa Quiram
Last year at our HarvestNet Young Adult Summit in Gdansk, Poland, there was a panel discussion of young leaders that included the question: What makes your generation different from older generations? What is your generation looking for from its leaders?
One of the main answers given was authenticity. I believe being authentic is one of the main keys to understanding the next generation. But authenticity is more than just a leadership method; it encompasses every part of our lives.
So, what is authenticity? How can leaders, particularly young leaders, lead with integrity and authenticity?
Authenticity comes from a Greek word which means genuine or original.
1. Authenticity refers to the realness and credibility of a person or thing.
2. An authentic person can express their true feelings and beliefs without disguise.
3. Authentic leaders reflect themselves.
In short, authenticity means being who you are. In the Old Testament, Jehovah presents himself to Moses as “I am who I am”. I believe that the need for authenticity reveals more than we think. Authenticity meets our innermost self, our hidden longing, the hole inside of us that only God can fill. We are longing for a deep, truthful encounter and relationship with our creator. And because we are created this way, we also look for this in other people, and we are naturally drawn to authentic behavior.
Authenticity is about leaders acting and communicating out of conviction.
Biblical examples of Authenticity:
This is not a new principle. Even in the Bible, we read about people who authentically lived and led. Two examples are Jesus and Paul. Jesus spoke openly, lived what he preached, and had no hidden motives. Paul was very open about his weaknesses and through this, showed that true leaders don’t have to hide behind perfection.
Paul’s example shows that being truly authentic can often lead to other difficulties. Questions like: How do I openly deal with my mistakes (as a leader) without losing authority in a society that often expects perfection from its leaders?
Invitation:
I encourage you to lead and live authentically, because it can be such a rich treasure. The following questions are important for you to ask when it comes to authentic leadership, especially from the younger generation.
1. Do I know who I am? What does authenticity mean to me? What are my strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and fears? What fills me, and what values do I want for myself that I can live out authentically?
Remember that being authentic must first happen in our hearts before it is displayed outwardly.
2. Do I have someone I trust, someone who knows me, and who sees me in my everyday life, so they can pay attention to what I say and how I live?
3. What can I, as a leader, do to ensure and foster an authentic environment?
To this last question, I have a few suggestions:
- Make sure that your authority and power does not only result from your position, job, or title, but from your expertise.
- Value Uniqueness and celebrate each individual.
- Foster belonging. In the context of a church, this means people need to be taught that they belong to the body of Christ and also the local church. The leader should distribute and delegate responsibility so that people can make their own decisions. This promotes a feeling of belonging.
To sum this up, being authentic means being honest, humble, and true to your values. Through authenticity, we can build deeper and more meaningful relationships with each other while also deepening trust both inside and outside of the church!
