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  • Writer's pictureAdil Malia

With Inauthentic Leadership...you are just Gallivanting the wrong path


The problem with prescriptive models of leadership is that it tends to influence people to start adopting external manifestations and behaviours (which they themselves clearly do not believe in). Their belief is that external manifestation of such behaviours would somehow make people they deal with actually believe that they actually are the embodiments of these desirable best practices and behaviours.

However, these behaviours being inauthentic, it will not be long before such behaviours will get identified. And once identified, the stamp of 'inauthenticity' being an indelible one will never let such a leader lead his team to success.

The human protective systems have a unique detection mechanism. Whenever it detects inauthenticity, the human antenna triggers off an 'amber' signal and the open transacting systems go on an alert. If the onslaught of inauthentic behaviour continues and sustains itself, it totally shuts down its open interface with that inauthentic source and directly rejects any further reception of signals from that system.

Sometimes such negative signals are detected as being transmitted from powerful sources like ones Manager. Outright rejection becomes difficult in such situations. The system in protection passively rejects and adopts one of the following defensive or protective strategies in reaction...

  • Passive Resistance..agree to conform publicly but don't comply in reality

  • Abstainance..conveniently escape interaction points by abstaining from transmission zones at the right time.

  • Active Resistance..search for strength from other detractors and build a stronger resisting community

  • Co-join External Counteracting forces to further strengthen opposing forces

  • Actively spread sense of Indifference and thus disengagement in the system that refuses to transact any further with guidance if the inauthentic leader.

A feeling of mutual authenticity shared by the leader and perceived by the team builds a better performing organisation than an organisation that has much higher confidence in a leader's ability but a feeling of inauthenticity around his character or commitment.

Leaders are the ones who run head first into the unknown. They rush towards the danger. They put their own interests aside to protect us or to pull us into the future. They sacrifice what is ours to save what is theirs. That is what it means to be an authentic leader. It means they choose to go first into danger, head first toward the unknown. And when we feel sure they will keep us safe, we start to march behind them and work tirelessly to see their visions come to life and proudly call ourselves followers of such Authentic Leaders. Leader's indeed eat last....says Simon Sinek.

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