Taking a pause in my career wasn’t something I planned, especially in my 50s.
And, unfortunately, my pause was the result of my role being eliminated.
At first, this forced transition felt like a setback. A slap in the face…and a hard one.
However, with time and reflection, I’ve come to see it as an unexpected gift. A space to reconsider what authentic leadership truly means to me. And how I want to carry it forward in all I do.
I think that authentic leadership is often misunderstood as simply being “real.” Whatever that means.
But I think it requires far more than “realness”. It requires courage, resilience, and a steady commitment to values even when external pressures demand otherwise.
As I reflect on both my past experiences and where I’m headed next, I see authentic leadership as a must-have.
For me, this balance comes down to three practices:
- Anchor decisions in values while delivering results.
Even in high-pressure environments, outcomes are stronger and more sustainable when they’re aligned with integrity. In retrospect, I can see how often I delivered results without compromising my values, even when I was asked to do otherwise. Alignment is so very important to me going forward. - Hold people accountable without compromising respect.
Some of the hardest conversations I’ve had as a leader weren’t about performance, but about how we treat each other in pursuit of performance. And many times, these conversations were not with my team, they were with colleagues and other leaders. Authentic leadership isn’t about avoiding those conversations. It’s about having them in ways that honor dignity and respect and put people first, especially individual contributors. - Model transparency and integrity even when it creates friction.
My transition reminded me of a truth I’ve always known but hadn’t fully paused to honor. Transparency and integrity can make others uncomfortable. Like really uncomfortable. This is especially true when dealing with leaders who thrive in chaos, resist accountability, or prefer to operate in the shadows. Even when it stirs tension or friction, leading openly builds trust. Without it, opacity and politics take root. Repairing that trust later is nearly impossible.
While this pause has been clarifying, I certainly wouldn’t have chosen it.
But I am grateful for the chance to step back and double down on the kind of leader I want to be moving forward.
The cost of abandoning authenticity, whether to meet unrealistic expectations, appease toxic dynamics, or simply “fit in”, is far greater than the discomfort of standing firm in my values. And the discomfort of any consequences that come from choices I make rooted in ethics, values, and morals.
I invite you, the reader, to reflect on how you stay grounded in authenticity when organizational or cultural pressures push you in the opposite direction.
Let’s all continue to learn so we can be better and do better!