THEORY TO PRACTICE

Authentic Leadership

The majority of my life has been influenced by contemporary views of authentic leadership. I believe in the power of vulnerability because it tears down a leader’s pedestal and puts them on the same level as their followers. Authentic leadership approaches are “genuine and transparent…authenticity emerges among leaders’ and participants’ interactions [that] develop over time” (Dugan 2017). A personal example of this was when I wrote about my experience as a youth competitor who cheated in several competitions. At 14 years old, one year into competing, I was motivated by a need for external validation that resulted in dishonest actions. Twelve years later, at 26, I published my story in Rock and Ice Magazine. I recognized the importance of sharing lessons I learned the hard way, in hopes that others might see themselves in me and learn something for themselves. My story drew some negative criticism but for the most part readers were receptive to the larger narrative.

In sharing this private, painful moment I revealed a part of my humanity. Leadership is empowering others in all their strengths and weaknesses, their accomplishments and their flaws. Leaders show the whole story of themselves, leading by example while encouraging others to lead in their own lives.