Too many leaders treat relationships like a game. They view their team members as pawns on the chessboard of corporate politics that need to be maneuvered to accomplish the leader’s goals.

Authenticity is an essential component of being a trustworthy leader. People long to follow a leader who is sincere—and when they find one, they will offer that leader 100 percent of their energy and engagement. An authentic person is genuine. They don’t put on pretenses. “What you see is what you get” describes them. Their behavior in any given situation can be reasonably predictable, which breeds high levels of trust and security.

MAKING COMMON SENSE COMMON PRACTICE

It’s not hard to be authentic; all you have to do is be yourself. Authentic leaders display humility, admit what they don’t know, walk their talk, own up to their mistakes, and do what they say they will do. You can be more authentic by being REAL:

• Reveal information about yourself. Let your team get to know you as a person, not just a boss.

• Engage people as individuals. Everyone wants to be seen as an individual, not just a number who shows up to do a job.

• Acknowledge team member contributions. People are starving for praise and recognition for their good work. Give it to them!

• Listen to learn. When you interact with people, spend more time listening than talking. Look for ways to incorporate their feedback and ideas into your decisions.