Strategic Direction

Authenticity and effective leadership: Getting the focus right

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(2006) "Authenticity and effective leadership: Getting the focus right", Strategic Direction, Vol. 22 Issue: 7, pp.18-21, https://
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 Authenticity and effective leadership
Getting the focus right

ussian-born artist Alexander Volkov once told us that our journey never ends

R because life changes things in incredible ways. Without doubt, these sentiments
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also apply to leadership. The business world is perpetually in a state of flux and no
one can ever claim to know everything there is to know. Anybody with aspirations towards
some imaginary leadership pinnacle is, therefore, clearly playing with fire.

The many facets of an authentic leader

It goes without saying that followers have to trust their leader if the ongoing journey is to
become a successful one. But this has frequently led to an expectation that leaders should
take someone else’s ideas as the mode of travel. In an age where authenticity is becoming
increasingly valued, this is obviously a mistake. People have had their fill of politicians and
business leaders who have proven to be all spin and no substance, and now rightly demand
the real McCoy. Leadership should, therefore, be a true reflection of who we are.
The paradox in all this is that authentic leadership demands many different selves. And just
like those who become slaves to the latest trends, authentic leaders change their hats to suit
each occasion. In the light of this, many will dismiss leadership as little more than an act.
Without sincerity, it would be and the ensuing damage to trust and credibility would be
difficult if not impossible to repair. But authentic leaders rise above suspicion by ensuring
that each self revealed is a genuine part of who they are.
Leaders reveal different aspects of their character to effectively become different people on
different occasions. The need to gain acceptance within a range of social and organizational
contexts means the ability to successfully perform such transformations cannot be
underestimated. Without it, leaders would only be able to attract followers from similar
backgrounds to themselves.
But how do leaders know what specific groups are looking for? How do they know which
personality traits are most relevant to the situation? Some are naturally blessed with the
capacity, while others acquire the necessary cognitive and observational skills through
experience. Being exposed to various roles during the early stages of career development is
an ideal way of acquiring these qualities. In time, however, the process becomes natural to
the extent that few leaders will even realize they are revealing these various selves to others.
Actions invariably speak louder than words and many leaders wisely strive to maintain
consistency between what they say and do. A prime example occurred at an award-winning
UK school, where head teacher, John Latham, passionately believed that people should
respect each other and their environment. Not content to merely pay lip service to his
desires, Latham did more than his share of picking up trash from the school environs.

PAGE 18 j STRATEGIC DIRECTION j VOL. 22 NO. 7 2006, pp. 18-21, Q Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 0258-0543 DOI 10.1108/02580540610669044
 ‘‘ The moral of the story is obviously to know which norms to
adhere to and which to violate in order to appeal to different
groups within the organization and beyond. ’’

Leading by example is fine, but it is often only the start of the process to establish sufficient
common ground.

To conform or not to conform

If this common ground is to be successfully established, authentic leaders must be sensitive
to the origins of others at the same time as remaining proud of their own roots. The important
factor is to see such diversity as presenting an opportunity rather than a threat. But the task
does not stop there. Leadership also demands awareness of different perceptions of status
and of the prevailing culture within their organization. For example, in some countries, those
who climb the social ladder are more revered, while in others, status defined at birth largely
prevails thereafter.
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In respect of organizational culture, the leader faces yet another paradox. Authentic leaders
must stand out from the crowd, while also being seen to adhere to existing norms. Getting
the balance right can clearly be somewhat tricky.
It can be achieved, however, as the example of a female director of a Japanese company
perfectly illustrates. The executive made changes to accounting practices and the
company’s personnel, yet still conformed to the conventional role of a woman in Japanese
society. The moral of the story is obviously to know which norms to adhere to and which to
violate in order to appeal to different groups within the organization and beyond.

Future leadership training

The pioneering qualities demonstrated by this lady would stand any leader in good stead.
Indeed, survival and prosperity increasingly means a proactive approach is essential. How
things would be different if we were all blessed with foresight.
As far as leadership goes, that particular dream may not be quite as unattainable as it first
appears. Thanks to learning programs specifically designed for future leaders, individuals
are able to acquire skills and knowledge that will serve them well many years down the line.
Analysts believe that leaders are shaped by their ability to deal with critical incidents relating
to such as various demands of management, and how to respond to both success and
failure. It is felt that exposure to similar incidents in the past will equip them with the
confidence to respond more effectively. That makes sense. After all, few people can readily
cope with situations that are alien to their own experience.
Future leader programs:
B provide an ideal opportunity for identifying the best talent;
B can help identify weaknesses and determine what training is needed; and
B offer a valuable experience of on-the-job learning.
The Ashbridge Future Leaders Experience (FLE) is one such program. Learning is tailored to
individual needs and participants on the course are given the task of running a company for
a couple of days during which learners are exposed to a series of critical incidents that help
increase their self-awareness and ability to reflect. Organizers claim the experience is as real
as possible and that it is true value lies in enabling learning required for the future to be
gained in the present.

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VOL. 22 NO. 7 2006 STRATEGIC DIRECTION PAGE 19
 Research has shown that emotion intelligence (EQ) is a shrewd indicator of leadership
potential. With that in mind, the Ashbridge program is emotionally demanding and only the
strong survive. A successful outcome from such programs sees learning filter through
steadily for years to come.

When goals are not so golden

While the advantage of acquiring knowledge for future use is all too apparent, leaders
should never lose sight of more immediate concerns. Amazingly, however, many are guilty of
doing precisely that. Many leaders and their organizations focus on longer-term goals to the
extent that scant attention is given to any potential difficulties that lie in the way.
Goals often represent some future vision of perfection that function as a common goal within
the organization. Attaining the ideal becomes such a powerful motivator that nothing else
matters. Leaders become blind to everyday realities and normal service is suspended as a
result. For the leader, fear of failure provides an additional spur. The prospect of humiliation
serves to strengthen resolve and ensures that commitment and investment levels increase
even further. Justifying any actions taken is the typical response and abandoning the dream
never enters the equation. It is as if the status of leadership totally depends on achieving the
goal.
Such obsessive behavior inevitably comes packaged with the potential for grave
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consequences. The unhealthy pursuit of what is perceived as the Holy Grail inevitably
results in risk-taking becoming part of organizational culture. Behaviors and practices once
deemed unacceptable suddenly become the norm.

The demise of WorldCom provides a perfect illustration of where unrelenting pursuit of goals
can lead. Based on a belief that industry growth predictions had been underestimated, the
telecommunications provider’s goal was to outperform the competition. Of course, there is
nothing unusual about that. However, single-mindedness meant the company failed to react
when the market reached saturation point. And instead of abandoning its goal, WorldCom
manipulated its accounts in order to inflate profit levels. Bankruptcy followed and the rest, as
they say, is history.

It was a similar story with the sales force at an unnamed medical supplies firm, where the
obsession was to boost sales figures. Problems here were caused by ignoring customer
service, communication and innovation – areas that would inevitably impact on the goal
itself. The result of this narrow focus? Fewer repeat orders leading to sales falling rather than
increasing. And while the company did not share the same fate as WorldCom, the lessons
are equally there to be learned.
How can leaders avoid such pitfalls? Simply by shifting the focus from specific goals to
learning itself. If Rick Warren is right that stopping learning means stopping leading, this is
clearly a shrewd move. Of course, some leaders will already have taken the US writer’s
words on board and have learning strategies in place. Their organizations will benefit and be
one step ahead of the pack.
Leaders who focus on learning instead of setting narrow goals are able to:
B equip their employees with new skills that help them to learn from experience;
B create a multi-strategic approach to goal achievement;
B develop organizational ability to adjust strategies in the face of mistakes and setbacks;
and
B constantly assess progress and modify an approach in response to changing
circumstances.
How WorldCom leaders must wish they had such measures in place. Widening the focus in
the way also creates an environment in which loyalty routinely extends way beyond the goal
in question and thus helps prevent the damage that obsessive behavior can obviously bring.

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 Comment
The review is based upon: ‘‘Managing authenticity: the paradox of great leadership’’ by Rob
Goffee and Gareth Jones, ‘‘The destructive pursuit of idealized goals’’ by D. Christopher
Kayes, ‘‘Are we there yet?’’ by William Lochander and David Luechauer, and ‘‘What I wish I’d
known ten years ago’’ by Eve Poole.

The first article suggests that authenticity is perceived as valued quality within leaders.
Goffee and Jones claim that authenticity is multi-faceted and describe how the authentic
leader must reveal different aspects of their character in order to successfully play a variety
of roles within the organization. The authors also suggest that leaders must establish
common ground with their followers, and that words and behavior must be congruent if they
are to achieve this. A valuable article that gives considerable insight into the issue and
provides many useful strategic implications.
Kayes claims that many leaders and their organizations are obsessed by the pursuit of
specific goals. The author reveals how the intensity of focus can lead to reckless behavior
and provides several examples of companies that have suffered as a result. He suggests a
wider focus on learning as being a much more effective strategy. Another more than valuable
article that contains useful advice for all practitioners.
The shorter piece by Lochander and Luechauer describes how leadership should be
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perceived as an ongoing journey rather than a tangible destination. The authors suggest that
the journey involves awakening and enlightenment, and equips leaders to respond
effectively to the ever-evolving business environment. Similarly to Goffee and Jones, the
authors also suggest that leadership should come from within, from a sense of being. This
article also provides a more than useful read.
The final article discusses the training and development of future leaders. Poole suggests
that leaders’ ability is shaped by their response to critical incidents during their
Keywords: development. The author details how a business school’s program exposes future leaders
Leadership, to such critical incidents to equip them with the skills knowledge that will serve them in their
Personality future careers. A useful contribution to the topic.

References
Goffee, R. and Jones, G. (2005), ‘‘Managing authenticity: the paradox of great leadership’’, Harvard
Business Review, Vol. 83 No. 12, pp. 87-94, ISSN: 0017-8012.

Kayes, D.C. (2005), ‘‘The destructive pursuit of idealized goals’’, Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 34 No. 4,
pp. 391-401, ISSN: 0090-2616.

Locander, W.B. and Luechauer, D.L. (2005), ‘‘Are we there yet?’’, Marketing Management, Vol. 14 No. 6,
pp. 50-2, ISSN: 1061-3846.

Poole, E. (2005), ‘‘What I wish I’d known ten years ago’’, Engineering Management, Vol. 15 No. 6,
pp. 36-9.

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