By Steve Watkins, originally posted on Investors.com on September 26, 2017.
When a leader acts authentically, plenty of good things happen. Be open, honest and match your actions with your words. Others will trust you.
“If people trust, then they’ll engage,” Kevin Cashman, a senior partner at the executive search and recruiting firm Korn Ferry, told IBD. “If you show up with authenticity, others trust that and then you can marshal people.”
Here’s how to build that authenticity.
Make it bigger. It’s vital to not just be true to yourself but to serve others while doing it, says Cashman, who wrote “Leadership From the Inside Out” and leads his company’s CEO and executive development group.
“The test is if we’re creating value for others too,” Cashman said.
Show vulnerability. David MacLennan, CEO of food and agriculture company Cargill, told Cashman it’s vital to own up to your mistakes and shortcomings. It builds trust, encourages communication and creates powerful teamwork.
“Those are the leaders who earn the right to leadership, and it’s irresistible to follow them,” Cashman said.