About authenticity and leadership- what showed up for the participants at a workshop I facilitated
- Vandana Das
- Sep 16
- 2 min read
Last week, I had the privilege of facilitating a conversation with a group of remarkable senior leaders.
When asked to recall moments where they truly felt strong and impactful, a surprising pattern emerged — they didn’t mention awards, strategies, or polished performances.
Instead, almost every story centered around being themselves. Moments where they showed up authentically, spoke from the heart, or made decisions that deeply reflected who they are.
It reinforced something powerful:
At earlier career stages, emulating successful leaders often works.
You learn by observing, modeling, and adjusting.
But as you grow, that strategy loses power.
At senior levels, what matters most isn’t how well you copy leadership behaviors — it’s how fully you embody your own.
Why does emulating stop working?
• The expectations shift: Trust, credibility, and emotional resonance matter more than technique.
• Borrowed behaviors create internal friction — and people can sense it.
• Authenticity — not imitation — becomes the foundation of lasting leadership.
Research backs this up.
Studies by Bill George and Herminia Ibarra show that sustainable leadership comes not from perfecting a persona, but from aligning leadership with purpose, values, relationships, discipline, and heart.
So, what gets in the way of authentic leadership?
• Fear of standing out or being “different”
• Pressure to maintain a flawless image
• Old conditioning that survival means fitting in, not standing out
And how do you cultivate it?
• Deep self-awareness
• Knowing your evolving values and strengths
• Courage to trust your own voice
• Even when it’s different
• Emotional resilience
• To lead with integrity, not image
True leadership isn’t about becoming someone else.
It’s about becoming more of who you already are — and trusting that’s enough.