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Article: Profile of Authentic Leadership
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Understanding this, he actively seeks to grow and havest the intelligence inherent in the group knowing it will not be shared and harnessed if everyone is looking and expecting the leader to divine the next direction. His role is akin to that of human consciousness in relationship to the thoughts arising in it. In this model of understanding, the job of consciousness is to “host,” acknowledge, validate and accept all thoughts arising in it. No thoughts are denied access or treated with favoritism and all have their expression, which cultivates a sense of contribution, belonging and encouragement to the creative process.
So, the Authentic Leader holds the place for the group that consciousness does for the individual. By hosting, acknowledging, inquiring and accepting all inputs from its members, the Authentic Leader succeeds in imbuing all concerned with a sense of belonging, contribution, value and creativity, all of which cultivates empowered self-leadership. As such, his ability to accomplish anything is in direct proportion to his understanding of the “authentic” part of his leadership. Here the word “authentic” implies “original authority” and “original authority” means beginning or first authority. Also, the word authority refers to “author.” So we can say that Authentic Leadership proceeds from “first author.”
What does this mean? Who is the "first author?"
When we consider how we, think, feel or sense anything, we will notice that we never know, from one moment to the next, how or what we will know, think, feel or sense. We do not know what our attention will fall on or how we will be in relation to it. Despite our best efforts to plan this or the next future moment we are continually surprised with what comes up next: a truth that makes cowards of lesser leaders. This is due to the fact that not now, nor ever, have we authored our own existence or that which arises within it. We merely are a host to it all. And this personal sense of “not knowing” and “not authoring” is the key to creativity and innovation, both of which are necessary to navigate the unknown. In fact, the timely development of the skill of listening to what “new knowing” is arising in each moment, will be found to be of far greater value than believing we have a thing figured out. For one can't navigate the unknown if he is always looking for what is already known. An Authentic Leader navigates the unknown by cultivating the ability, moment-to-moment, to be open to learning and listening to what he yet does not know. This approach, this way of being, causes maximum use of the creativity inherent in himself and the group.
So what does this look like?
The Authentic Leader is never in a hurry to arrive at a point of view. He listens deeply with openness and curiosity to what all have to say. In his presence, one feels relaxed, valued, really seen and heard, which inspires each member to trust their creative process, which serves to harness the intelligence inherent in the group. In this way leadership is cultivated in each member, everyone benefits and none has the sense that one or another is more important or powerful. In fact, the Authentic Leader accomplishes this without drawing attention to himself so that each continues to look within for the guidance and insight demanded of each moment.
How is this accomplished?
The Authentic Leader accomplishes this by remembering what it means to be a human being and cultivates an environment where humans can flourish. Because only a human being can navigate the unknown.