There have been 1,000 studies in the past 50 years to determine the definitive styles, characteristics, or personality traits of great leaders. A Harvard Business Review article (February, 2007) highlighted that no one can be authentic by trying to imitate someone else. Young & Rubicam CEO Ann Fudge, “All of us have the spark of leadership in us, whether it is in business, in government, or as a nonprofit volunteer. The challenge is to understand ourselves well enough to discover where we can use our leadership gifts to serve others.”
Thus, a leader should:
· Have passion for purpose
· Practice values consistently
· Lead with hearts and heads
· Constantly test themselves through real-world experiences
· Develop self-awareness from experiences…act on that awareness by practicing values and principles, sometimes at substantial risk to themselves
· Drive by inner values as much as by a desire for external rewards or recognition
· Identify and overcome your blind spots
· Avoid materialism by understanding where you find happiness and fulfillment
Are you an authentic leader?
