OPINION
authentically is one of the most challenging and courageous endeavours we’ll ever undertake. Living an inauthentic life, or living with cognitive dissonance, is exhausting and drains both our capacity for joy and our ability to live and love fully. However, as we embrace the lifelong transformational ‘inner work’ that frees us to embody our authenticity, we are able to reveal more of who we are and see our own strengths and talents. We become aware of the beliefs and assumptions that limit us and adopt a broader set of leadership qualities necessary to show up with true inner confidence and lead e ectively. By fostering a stronger sense of self-awareness and self-compassion, along with a clear understanding of our values, purpose and vision, we are empowered to fully embrace the chance to lead a life true to ourselves. This enables us to wholeheartedly dedicate our skills and abilities to leading, whatever our role and even when confronted with cultural and societal biases and our own self-doubt. There is an extraordinary power in the concept of women uniting; when that happens, we can unleash the untapped potential and the brilliance that lies within. We can inspire a world where equality and diversity thrive, where voices are amplified and our collective potential is unleashed. Together, we can create a di erent future for ourselves and the generations to come.
When self-scoring, women leaders often view themselves with self-doubt or humility. They tend to rate themselves lower than their evaluators, while men usually rate themselves higher compared with how others see them in relating and e ectiveness. Thus, female leaders underestimate their impact, which could easily hinder them Perhaps not surprisingly, the two biggest potentially limiting areas for most women leaders revolved around drive and perfection. Female managers tend to be identified with needing to be ‘better than best’ in all areas of their career Living authentically to unleash your true potential This serves as a stark reminder of both our strengths and how we can undermine our own success, talents, skills, capabilities and voice – even those of us who are already considered successful. Through awareness, understanding and self-acceptance we can feel liberated and empowered to lead true to ourselves. Slowly, gently and with great self-compassion, we can change the behaviours that stop us from showing up authentically, deeply believing in ourselves and thriving. Authenticity is not something we have or don’t have. It comes through making a conscious choice about how we want to live and lead. It is a daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we truly are. Truly being ourselves and leading our lives
Jo Wagstaff is an internationally renowned leadership coach and author of Lead Like You: How Authenticity Transforms the Way Women Live, Love and Succeed , published by Wiley
Ambition MAY 2024 | 49
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