“The journey to authentic leadership begins with understanding the story of your life.” – Bill George
In Bill George’s research of effective leaders, he and his team went into the project planning to discover a list of skills and attributes that the best leaders have. What they found, instead, is that there is no cookie-cutter leader. Every leader is unique.
What the most effective leaders have in common is a deep level of self-awareness—they know their strengths and weaknesses, values, and intrinsic motivations. They intentionally activate their strengths, and they behave consistently with their values and convictions. In short, they are authentic—genuine, not a copy.
One thing that emerged in George’s research is a profound appreciation for the life stories of his interviewees and the crystallizing insight that a leader’s “journey to authentic leadership begins with understanding the story of your life.” The leaders he interviewed could all trace their leadership philosophies to their life experiences. What they believe about leadership–and how they lead–is most evident in their transformative life moments.
You, also, can press forward on this journey to authentic leadership by examining your life. In doing so, you illuminate your values, your unique strengths and qualities, and what energizes and inspires you. This clarity lights our path forward. And we can step more boldly into being our authentic, best selves.
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Additional Resources:
- The Discover Your True North Field Book (2015) by Nick Craig, Bill George, and Scott Snook.
- Nick Craig’s Core Leadership Institute and his book, Leading From Purpose.
- Nick Craig and Scott Snook’s HBR Article, “From Purpose to Impact.”
- Bill George’s Discover Your True North.