The HRMonline article “Is authenticity an ‘overrated and misunderstood’ business concept?” raises a provocative point: when authenticity is used to justify unfiltered behaviour or resist change, it becomes a liability.
We’ve all heard it:
- “That’s just who I am.”
- “I don’t want to be fake.”
- “I’m being authentic.”
But in practice, these statements can bypass accountability, ignore impact and erode trust. As Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic notes, our “authentic selves” are often tired, anxious, or reactive, not exactly the traits we want leading teams.
The Leadership Shift: From Raw Authenticity to Grounded Vulnerability
Instead of asking leaders to “be themselves,” we should be asking:
- Are you self-aware enough to know when your default reactions aren’t helpful?
- Are you resilient enough to adapt without losing connection to your values?
- Are you optimistic enough to lead through uncertainty?
These are the traits of psychological capital, Hope, Efficacy, Resilience, and Optimism (HERO). And they’re cultivated not through radical self-expression, but through disciplined vulnerability and trust in self.
The deliberateleadership approach compliments this shift by focusing on three dimensions: context, capability and self, while aligning with authentic and situational leadership principles. It reminds us that leadership effectiveness spans the individual, team and organisation and starts with self-awareness and psychological resources.
Why Trust in Self Matters
Trusting others begins with a kind of internal steadiness, a grounded confidence in one’s own values, boundaries and emotional clarity. Leaders who cultivate this inner trust are better equipped to engage with feedback, navigate discomfort and lead with care.
This isn’t blind trust. It’s discerning, earned trust, built on the ability to regulate, reflect and respond rather than react. When leaders show up with this kind of presence, they create space for others to do the same.
It’s the difference between “I trust you because I have to” and “I trust you because I know how to hold myself steady, even when things get hard.”
Final Thought
Authenticity isn’t obsolete, it’s incomplete. When paired with vulnerability, adaptability and psychological capital, it becomes a powerful force for cultural transformation.
Let’s stop asking leaders to be “authentic” and start helping them become self-aware, adaptable and trustworthy.
