On this page we elaborate further on:
- What the development of Authentic Leadership entails, and
- How Moya can add value to your organisation in this regard.
What development of Authentic Leadership entails
Values-driven authentic leadership development processes allow organisations to understand what it is that they need to work towards in order to be the best company they can possible be for all their stakeholders, of which shareholders, off course, is an important component. So an authentic values-driven culture creates a ‘container’, in which to work towards their most compelling goals, financial and otherwise. For me it also creates the ‘what’ component. What is it that we wish to create in order to achieve our goals!
This then leads to the question of ‘How do we achieve this?’ I believe it is, amongst others about leadership coaching, and off course, the root of all true leadership, is Authentic Leadership. For me, Authentic leadership is to leadership what spirituality is to religion. My impression from my academic research is that before the authentic leadership coaching, the participants looked at the desired organisational values like we look at a desirable piece of clothing in a shop-window. They looked at it, and desired it, but they were not yet wearing it. The authentic leadership coaching helped them to ‘wear’ it, and to be it.
But the authentic leadership coaching went much further in solidifying an authentic values-driven leadership culture. Over and above exploring personal values, purpose (mission) and vision (flipside legacy), it also allowed coachees:
- to grapple with their own internal identity (current and desired) in terms of their own past, present and future history.
- It allowed them to let go of the baggage aspects of the past, whilst retaining the good stuff, so that they could start to fly with a lightness not present before.
- It allowed them to explore their worldviews, not only in terms of their values, but also their beliefs about self and about others. What did they believe about themselves? How did they view others and the world around them? Was it a friendly world or a hostile world? Which were their limiting versus empowering beliefs!
- It allowed them to take on board continuous self-organised learning / self-coaching skills – a good way for a learning organisation to develop.
- It also allowed them to start thinking more systemically. ‘How do I influence / impact on other elements of the system?’, and vice versa. How do I view giving and receiving feedback from / to others? How do I frame feedback? Criticism? A gift? A tray of coffee / tea / biscuits, where I take what is useful, and leave the rest?
- Understand the difference between power-over, power-within, and power-under, and build the latter two. Understand that ‘I need to be the change I wish to see’ (Gandhi).
- Emotional state management. Understand the empowering versus limiting emotional states that can be taken on-board towards achieving outcomes.
- Understand that all of the above need to evolve into a congruent story of self that allows self and others to trust and respect self as an authentic leader. That allows us to grow into the best ‘me’ that I can be. Someone whose internal identity is ‘self-inhibitor’, for instance, will not be successful in their stated purpose of ‘empowering others’.
This then leads to a profound leadership that can be sustained during challenging situations and stormy weather. That allows for a ripple effect towards developing authentic followers. That is comfortable with diversity of people and ideas. That allows for ethical business dealings. That allows others to grow into the best selves that they can be as well.
How we can add value to your organisation
Moya now has the following two programmes available towards developing authentic leadership in organisations, called Authentic Leadership @ Work, those being:
- Authentic Leadership @ Work – Individual Development Programme
- Authentic Leadership @ Work – Group / Team Development Programme
All sessions will be approximately two weeks apart, and individual coaching sessions will be two hours each, whilst group sessions will be 3 – 4 hours each. The programme duration will be approximately 6 – 7 months.
For more information, visit our programmes: Authentic Leadership @ Work.
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