How Do You Remain Authentic?

Are you authentically – you? Are you pressured to be a counterfeit of someone else just to be accepted or successful? Maybe you are one of the selected few who has never felt pressured to masquerade as somebody else. Great! Where ever you are on this journey, it’s important to understand how to remain authentic.

Early in my career, my manager gave me feedback as an immigrant from the paradise island of Dominica. He said I needed to be less “aggressive” (his interpretation of my self-confidence) and to act and sound more “American” if I wanted to be successful in corporate America. I took that feedback to heart and really tried to change my style to his. In other words, I tried to be a counterfeit of someone else. Newsflash: I failed miserably! 

That reminds me of a time when I was part of a team focused on redesigning our product packaging in a way that would be difficult to counterfeit. Counterfeit products look like the real thing but are of inferior quality. 

Trying to be someone I am not is like creating a counterfeit; poor standards and inferior quality.

I was competitive but had a quiet personality. My bent was towards relationships and harmony but fierce and passionate when warranted. That has and continues to work well for me. Looking back, my personality actually drew people to me and enabled me to walk in my mission. It’s a gift God gave me to fulfill my purpose. It is uniquely mine and not a counterfeit of someone else.

As leaders, we are most successful in our careers and life when we are authentic. I’m sure you will agree that our results really suffer the most when we allow our lack of self-confidence, or our overly competitive nature to dominate our actions. 

It goes without saying that we need to be our authentic selves within the appropriate boundaries. You cannot use inappropriate behavior as an excuse to be “Yourself”. You may have heard someone say “Sorry, but I cannot help being myself and brutally honest.” They can help themselves. Leaders have to be honest. They don’t have to be brutal. They can choose to be compassionate instead of turning their gift of passion and assertiveness into aggression.

How do you remain authentic?

Here are a few approaches to maintaining your authenticity.

• Enable your superpowers. Know who you are and your strengths. Leverage those strengths instead of trying to be someone else. The best person you can be is yourself. 

• Embrace your uniqueness. In other words, love yourself. It will help you love your neighbors better. As imperfect as you are, you are beautiful and wonderfully made.

• Encourage yourself by speaking words of affirmation; especially in stressful times. Remember, the words you tell yourself are powerful. These words of affirmation can help you develop the courage to face your fears.

• Empower yourself by learning from your mistakes. When you fall short, instead of asking why did you mess up, ask yourself what can you learn from this. Recognize that every disappointment is a setup for future success. Learn to compete against yourself and be better today than you were yesterday.

Authentic leaders are transparent and trusting. They have strong self-confidence and are not afraid to show vulnerability. Above all, being authentic enables you to perform at your peak to deliver your best. In any case, according to Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.”

Empowered Leader Reflection

My key strategy to remain authentic is remembering who I am – spiritually. What is your go-to strategy to remain authentic? 

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