Authenticity Is Not Rigid

What does it mean to be authentic? It’s when we show our genuine self. There’s vulnerability in it. Instead of acting with an agenda in mind, we are willing to express what we truly believe. There’s conviction in authenticity. But authenticity can also be curious, angry, sad, frustrated, and caring. Authenticity is not saying whatever is on our mind all the time. When we do that, we lack the consideration for the people around us. Authentic people are comfortable in their own skin, and those who are great leaders are also conscious of how other people feel in their skin. They can hold both. Authenticity is felt. We know it when we see it and it’s not rigid. Rather, it’s flexible. Let me explain a bit more.

Like a starting pitcher in baseball, those with authenticity have multiple pitches. They know when to throw a fastball, a change up, or a breaking ball, depending on the situation. Their ability to tap into the right pitch at the right time without losing any conviction in the pitch is what makes them effective. Those with limited pitches in baseball might be effective as a closer, but the starters, the ones who are so essential to a team’s success, need the different pitches. A great leader is no different. Just because we use different pitches at different times doesn’t make us less authentic, it actually can make us more so.

Think of your favorite podcast host, speaker, or musician. Do they do the same thing every time? Of course not; they mix it up. But your fandom for them probably lies within how authentic they are. Are they real? Genuine? Do they make themselves vulnerable, present, and have the courage to show the different sides of themselves? When they do, they have a greater probability of connecting. At its core, authenticity underpins connection.

So, what do you look like when you are authentic? What do you sound like? What are you doing? In truth, I don’t know. But perhaps you do. Perhaps the people closest to you do. Ask yourself. Ask them. And then be willing to expand into other areas of yourself and intentionally bring them out when they are needed.