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- When Tim Cook became Apple CEO
Surveys show that 90% of people think authenticity in the workplace is essential. Employees want to be able to show up to work as their whole selves, and they want their leaders to respect and model that. Instead of trying to fit into a mold of what they think a leader is, employees want leaders to be themselves and be honest, vulnerable, and accurate. Today’s leaders are often under a microscope, and people can sense inauthenticity. According to best-selling author Liz Wiseman, authenticity is complex to maintain but even more challenging to fake.
Wiseman had a front-row seat when Tim Cook took over as CEO of Apple after Steve Jobs. She worked with Apple as a coach and consultant. There was pressure for Tim to step directly into Steve’s shoes and lead just the way he did. But that style didn’t reflect Tim and wouldn’t have served the company well.
“Look what Tim has continued to build and create, just being himself,” Liz said. “Fake it till you make it isn't about being inauthentic. It's knowing what you're trying to become. You're just squaring your shoulders as you grow into something authentically desired and authentically possible. That's very different from pretending to be something you're not.”
When leaders embrace authenticity, they invite employees to do the same. Instead of trying to be a perfect version of themselves, leaders and teams can take risks, admit mistakes, and continue learning and evolving. Authenticity builds trust, and authentic leadership positively impacts employee performance. There’s no reason for leaders not to be themselves.
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"One of the marks of a certain type of bad man is that he cannot give up a thing himself without wanting everyone else to give it up." During World War II, C.S. Lewis delivered a series of radio talks on the BBC. We don’t have much audio record of these talks, but fortunately, Lewis compiled them all into a book.