A LEADERSHIP OXYMORON—FAKE AUTHENTICITY

Authentic can become a product, rather than a way of being.
Some thoughts:

—Authentic is not the same as being spontaneous or very informally real.
   Being real is not necessarily authentic

—None of us are authentic all the time. Lots of what we do is rehearsed and that's a good thing.

—Authenticity does carry power with it.

—Being authentic is often triggered by an important moment

—It goes beyond knowing yourself. It involves knowing the moment and the context or what's needed and
   aligning the world with your inner self.

—It is not a method to encourage followership (as in your people like humor, tell a joke)

—It is not marketing yourself to the company. It is not about image even though many books talk as if it is.

Here is the definition of authentic: l. "An emotionally appropropriate, significant, purposive and responsible mode of living" 2. "Undisputed original--not a copy" 3. "accurate and reliable"

In authenticity, there is a demand for principle that is important (significant) and it is an on purpose stance in the world. There is something unique and original to the authentic leader. The leader is not copying nor can she be copied. There is a quality of holding steady and true, reliable, a ringing true day after day after day. There is  powerful coherence in what an authentic leader feels, says ,does, and stands for. 

The power comes from the awareness and work of the leader. You can smell it in others and feel it in yourself. You dig  deep and get aligned internally. You feel the moment when you are poised to "have it all together" and you step forward with the courage of your truth that has been distilled. At that moment, there is a power and an energy like the vibration of a note perfectly hit. A resonance goes through your organization that