Updated September 2026.
Authentic leadership is not a performance of confidence. It starts with a more demanding question: do your decisions and everyday behaviour reflect the values you say matter?
The Center for Creative Leadership describes authenticity in terms of alignment between internal values and external behaviour, with continued learning through feedback and reflection. That is a useful starting point, not a guarantee of business results.
For a business owner or executive, the practical work is often less dramatic than finding a new leadership identity. It may mean explaining a difficult decision, acknowledging a mistake or changing a habit that makes it hard for others to contribute.
Turn a value into an observable action
Words such as respect, accountability and transparency sound positive, but leave room for very different interpretations. Choose one and describe what someone would actually see you do.
If you value respect, how will you handle disagreement in a meeting? If you value accountability, how will you respond when your own commitment is late? If you value transparency, what can you explain about a decision, and what information must remain confidential?
Being genuine does not mean saying everything you think or sharing someone else’s private information. “That is just how I am” is not a reason to dismiss the effect of your behaviour.
Look for the gap between intention and impact
You may intend to be helpful while repeatedly taking a task back from a colleague. You may invite questions while leaving no time for them. Start with a recent situation and describe the sequence without assigning motives to other people.
What did you say? What did you do? What happened next? What alternative explanation have you not considered? A coaching conversation can provide space to examine these questions, but it cannot tell you what another person is thinking.
Ask for feedback with clear boundaries
Ask a focused question about something the person has observed: “In our last planning meeting, where did I make it easier or harder to raise a concern?” Listen before explaining your intention, and avoid pressuring someone to disclose more than they are comfortable sharing.
If a formal feedback process is used, agree who will see the responses, how they will be reported and how they will be used. Do not promise anonymity where a small group or identifiable example makes it unrealistic.
A practical meeting experiment
Consider this hypothetical exercise. A leader says they want more input but tends to announce a preferred answer at the start of every discussion. For the next two planning meetings, they could:
- State the decision to be made and any genuine constraints.
- Invite the relevant perspectives before giving their own view.
- Summarize the reasons for the eventual decision and record the next action.
- Ask afterwards whether the discussion made it easier to contribute.
This is an experiment, not a client case study or a guaranteed improvement. The leader still needs to make decisions, address inappropriate conduct and follow through on commitments. The guide to clearer team working agreements develops the practical side further.
Make coaching specific enough to evaluate
An engagement might focus on preparing a difficult conversation, rehearsing a different response or reviewing follow-through. Agree a small number of observable goals, the time available for practice and a review date.
Where an employer sponsors coaching, clarify confidentiality and reporting before work begins. Coaching should not replace a required management decision, formal investigation or specialist advice. Progress in a conversation also does not establish that coaching caused a change in revenue or employee retention.
Explore your leadership priorities
Learn about executive coaching with Joel or book a free 15-minute fit call to discuss whether the approach suits your situation.
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