Authentic leadership is the new ‘buzz’ word in the business world. Many leaders proclaim themselves as true authentic leaders, but their behavior doesn’t match that description. While the theory of authentic leadership appeals to me, it’s the practice of leading with authenticity that gets to the core of what I believe to be what makes a leader worth following.

As a leadership consultant, it is easy to fall into the trap of acquiring and passing knowledge to help develop others while ignoring or downplaying my own imperfections. Therefore, to avoid this trap, at RethinkWork, our motto is: “To help others develop, start with yourself.” We are intentional not only about having the training and qualifications but also about doing the work on ourselves.

Through this journey, I have learned this critical lesson and leadership principle: That authentic leadership requires vulnerability. It exposes our deep weaknesses and limitations. We stop wearing masks and worrying about maintaining our image, and instead, our focus is on leading ourselves well. Vulnerability isn’t easy, but it prevents us from building a wall of self-preservation. Self-preservation occurs when we obsess about protecting the things we are afraid of losing.

To bust through the wall of self-preservation, we have to answer three questions honestly. These three questions have been at the core of my struggle to be vulnerable and practice authenticity:

What are you afraid of losing?
What are you trying to hide?
What are you trying to prove? And to whom?

Bringing my struggles into the light and having the vulnerability to share them with others enabled me to show my path of growth and transformation. Contrary to what people think (and what I thought) about being vulnerable, once I did it, I did not lose credibility or influence. Instead of working to preserve my image, I now have the freedom to be transparent about my flaws in a way that is relatable and creates a deeper trust and bond with the people I work with.

“A leader, first and foremost, is a human. Only when we have the strength to show our vulnerability can we truly lead.” –Simon Sinek

I had to be honest about my fears and what prevented me from being vulnerable to tearing through the wall of self-preservation. I found the process to be challenging but, in the end, liberating. Let me be clear: being vulnerable in the workspace doesn’t mean I walk around with a box of tissues or share my personal life with everyone. Rather, being vulnerable means you are authentic, you don't hide your struggles, and you admit your mistakes. Being vulnerable is leaning in with deep acknowledgment that you (and I) are constantly learning and evolving.

How would you answer the questions about self-preservation? What are you afraid of losing? What are you trying to hide? What are you trying to prove? And to whom?

Authentic Leadership is Not for the Weak