Over the past two decades, VIM Executive Coaching has probably heard every executive leadership “buzzword,” that has been invented. Undoubtedly, there is a word or two from the 1850s that we’ve missed, but we’ll concede our ignorance on that score.
Invariably, we run into people at social gatherings who toss around those buzzwords with joyful glee. Naturally, we have recently been treated to several fine folks who regale us with boasts at “how authentic” they are in their “real lives,” and how authentic they are in their management roles.
Garden Party
At a recent garden party, an executive leader boasted about how, in everything he does, he is authentic.
“Well, it is what it is,” we replied.
“Huh?”
“It is what it is.”
He looked nonplussed for a few beats, scratched his head, and wandered off in search of another lemonade (or lemon something).
Authenticity is not a buzzword, rather it is a conscious way of life. The executive leader who leads with consistency can’t decide to be authentic in the morning, and then be inauthentic in the afternoon. If we are authentic, then we are unchanging in terms of our approach. Obviously, if we given new information, our authentic reaction to that information may change, but overall authentic is authentic. That is why, in our opinion, the person tossing around the authenticity phraseology and not understanding “it is what it is,” has completely missed the point.
Where does authenticity originate? This is perhaps the most important question in this discussion. Authenticity, unlike most “buzzwords,” is not learned by reading a self-help book or listening to a podcast series by a prominent authenticity guru (if such a person exists).
Authenticity is borne in one way, and one way only, on that unique inward, meditative, understanding and empowering journey we must take for ourselves. To that end, authenticity must be borne of mindfulness and is most easily cultivated through mindfulness meditation.
If we are mindful of who we are, then we can be authentic in the moment, and from moment-to-moment. Mindfulness takes work, in part because organizations are usually not set-up to be mindful. Our organizations are normally set-up to be reactive, sometimes to the point of foolishness where policy is whatever feels good. The problem with “reaction” is its utter inconsistency.
Mindfulness leads to response. Response is measured; however, it doesn’t mean that it takes an hour to respond. Out of mindfulness and a response to a situation comes authenticity.
It is a Process
Though we try to be mindful, we are hardly mind readers. When we told our friend at the garden party, “It is what it is,” it is the perfect characterization of the mindful executive leader in the moment. Another way of putting it may be, “You always are who you say you are.”
The response to that observation wouldn’t be “Huh?” but “Yes.”
To become truly authentic takes work. This is why the authentic buzzword is so easy to use, but relatively few want to take the journey to make it happen. Buzzwords are dangerous in that they are deceptive. There is a slippery slope to employing buzzwords, as in saying:
“I’m 90 percent authentic, and 10 percent an irascible so-and-so.”
It is not authenticity at all, and certainly, isn’t what it is! We are reminded of the story of the accountant working on the books of a large company and at the end realizing they are off by a measly five cents! Well, you’ve almost got them balanced, the casual observer might remark, but the wisest understand there may be a major problem at hand.
Authenticity is, and it springs from mindfulness. Anything less, is a “maybe.”