Happy Friday Everyone,
For a leadership guide focusing on an authentic approach to development and growth, it can be challenging to be authentic at times. What feels authentic changes, despite everything being anchored in the same values and principles.
I wouldn’t say I’m getting burnt out on LinkedIn and Substack, but I’m noticing a bit of “I need to do xyz,” performativeness seeping back in. But, I think I know why.
What my posting has been about, on LinkedIn especially, has not deeply or openly included what I am passionate about exploring. I’m simply talking on the problems people are facing, which thousands of other people are doing as well.
The grindstone is moving, but I’m not holding the blade at the right angle to sharpen it.
I don’t like to talk without reason; instead prefering to help people address their problems as an active practice.
In my work I am passionate about helping others. But, it can be hard to do that in broad, social media posting sweeping generalizations absent knowledge of specific circumstances.
So, to combat this, I think I’ll lean more into what I am passionate about to see if I can link it to the problems people are facing. This is part due to one of the things I talked about on the coffee chat today, which was an attempt to break down and explain a quote of mine (I don’t know if I did the best job) that I received some pushback on.
Original:
We hold ourselves back and allow more toxicity within ourselves relative to the amount of uncertainty and discomfort we can tolerate while presenting our authentic self to the world.
Translation:
We limit our own potential and allow internally dysfunctional and self-sabotaging behavior relative to the amount of self-trust we hold while being uncomfortable and uncertain when navigating societal norms and paths to “success.”
Distillation:
We do things we know aren’t good for us because we don’t like feeling uncomfortable and like being told what to do to succeed. If we are willing to be uncomfortable and relinquish illusions of certainty, we will be able to grow as humans and leaders.
A very good question was asked on the call, “when is the authenticity ingroup vs outgroup?”
That’s something I want to explore in the future, but my initial impression is that authenticity is always co-created, and that it is possible for multiple authenticities to exist.
Overly-complicated, right?
This is the part I’m passionate about, is trying to untangle these knots.
I’ve mentioned I’m looking into animism as a lens to untanglement for leaders trying to be more authentic, so that’s what my exploration will be next week: when is authenticity collective versus individual.
In the meantime, let me know your thoughts on this … I’m sure we all have different answers valid for different contexts.
Until next time,
Chris.
Seed Catalog:
- Adele Lopez
Contour Lines is my anecdotal newsletter segment that weaves whats going on in my life with my thoughts on leadership as well as personal and organizational development.
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