Frequently, the news highlights the misdoings and grievous errors of leaders who have seemingly lost their sense of morality. Rather it be a militant dictator, foolish politician, or a corrupt CEO, we are consistently shown images of leaders that cause us to wonder how someone devoid of integrity ever garnered power.
This absence of integrity represents a significant challenge that plagues many leaders and is addressed in Bill George’s book True North. Bill George, a former CEO and current Harvard Professor, illustrates numerous successful leaders along with his personal journey to becoming an effective leader.
George claims to obtain the skills to be an effective leader by following his “True North- an internal compass that guides you successfully through life. It represents who you are as a human being at your deepest level.” And “is based on what is most important to you, your most cherished values, your passions and motivations, the sources of satisfaction in your life” (True North, xxiii).
George’s idea that leaders who follow their “True North” will be more likely to garner success and thus become an “Authentic Leader”, which is a leadership style that establishes a leader’s legitimacy through genuine interactions with followers and valued support.
In True North, George describes numerous methods to become a highly effective leader and all the while remain true to who you are as a person. The leadership philosophies expressed in this book are simultaneously genius and sensible, expressing numerous leadership tips. Highlighting some of his tips, here are seven smart tips to becoming an authentic leader derived from the book True North.
- Be true to yourself:
- To be an “Authentic Leader” it is essential to follow your true north or moral compass in junction with your passions. Deviating from your innate desires will impede your career; for example taking job with a higher title at a competing company rather than remaining loyal at your current position might hinder your path to being an effective leader.
- Pursue your Intrinsic Purpose:
- Leaders frequently make the fatal mistake of placing extrinsic rewards, such as money, title, or perceived authority, over intrinsic rewards, such as personal growth and helping others develop, and thus in the end accept jobs or career paths that are not fulfilling or rewarding. Although, extrinsic rewards such as compensation should certainly be a major factor when considered employment opportunities, George says, the “key to developing as an authentic leader is not eschewing our extrinsic motivations but balancing them with intrinsic motivations” (George, 112). That is why when considering a leadership or employment opportunity it is vital to follow your passions and values when evaluating opportunities.
- Empower your Followers:
- Being an authentic leader is about empowering others rather than empowering yourself. George refers to this occurrence as the important “transformative” process, going from the “I” to the “We.” Leaders who are able to get on board with that concept are able to create a more cohesive team and thus lead with more efficiency and effectiveness.
- Embrace, Learn, and Progress from the Low Points of Your Life:
- Being a leader makes people feel like they can’t appear vulnerable or weak but according to George every great leader experiences a significantly trying event throughout their careers, described in the book as a crucible. A prime example of this would be Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment for decades, Steve Jobs’ ousting from Apple, and Mark Cuban’s firing. The key to being a great leader is not letting these significant sorrows or tribulations cripple us but instead make us stronger as individuals. True North encourages us that when events like this impact our lives that we ask ourselves what can I learn from this experience so that I can become a better person because of it.
- If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together
- A great leader must be capable of surrounding himself with a competent team because a team is only a strong as its weakest link. Leaders will proclaim the importance of having a quality team of followers behind them because as it is said “the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts”. That is why many business leaders and human resource departments scream the importance of the recruitment, selection, and retention processes so that they can build and keep a quality team to run the ship.
- Balance isn’t always possible:
- Being a great leader should not come at the sacrifice of being a content person. That is why George stresses the importance of fixating on the crucial and vital aspects of your life including career obligations, family and friendships, and lastly personal time. However, some days you will be a great employee and not the greatest friend but other days you won’t be superman at the office but at home you can be a super parent. Life will never be divided into four aspects that are easily balanced among each other so just try and embrace the imbalance.
- Have solid support systems:
- Lastly, it is vital for leaders to surround themselves with a solid support network. Having a strong support system is vital for leaders to steer their lives in a positive direction throughout all of the challenges and stressors that they face. The network could be comprised of family, friends, spiritual leaders, coworkers, or even trusted advisers. It genuinely doesn’t matter who comprises your support system but the important thing is that your have a clear group of individuals who are there to support you in times of difficulty and keep you grounded when your head is getting too big.
Being a great business leader is difficult but being an “Authentic Leader” is even more so because it requires dedication, resilience, and assistance. Thankfully, the team of consultants at HRO Partners are here to help businesses, individual leaders, and anyone seeking personal development become an Authentic Leader with our vast assortment of Human Resource Consulting options ranging from Executive Coaching, Leadership Training, Personal Coaching, Management, Recruitment, Selection, and Retention Strategies.
For more information visit our website at http://www.hro-partners.com , email us at info@hro-partners.com, or call us at 901-737-0123.