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enabling leadership The Real Deal: Authentic Leadership—Lessons from David By Joe Whitefield W e have all seen many lead- ers with different leader- ship abilities and styles. Introverts, extroverts, facilitators, team builders, mavericks, coaches, mentors, visionaries, pragmatists, optimist, pes- simists—the list goes on. I can prob- ably identify a person with each style of leadership that ultimately proved to be a very good leader. On the other hand, I can also probably identify a person with each style of leadership that proved to be not-so-good. Why such a large discrepancy in leadership styles and their effects? It's hard to pinpoint a single reason. It has been said that "everything works, but nothing works for long." That may also be the case with leadership. Certainly some styles are better suited for specific organizational environments than oth- ers. Sometimes the environments and cultures change and leadership that was once effective can become stale and inef- fective. It is easy to focus too much on styles of leadership and not enough on the substance of the leader. AUTHENTICITY: THE ESSENTIAL QUALITY In one way or another, leadership is ultimately a judgment on the quality of relationships. Effective leaders foster great relationships by combining a strong sense of direction with a mysteri- ous blend of energy, trustworthiness, empathy, humility, and faith in others. Still, there is one substantive quality that is essential for all effective leaders. Without it, the other qualities, skills, and approaches will be limited. That quality is authenticity. Authenticity is a basis for believability and, ultimately, trust. People can tell when you are faking it. You can't fool them for very long. Feigning interest, false humility, and conditional faith are relationship killers. On the contrary, authentic leaders foster a strong sense of support and loyalty and even an occa- sional measure of forgiveness from others simply because they are real and relatable. I have learned a great deal about the importance of authenticity from a former boss of mine, David Gray. If ever there is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of a person, it is David. Intellectual and driv- en, he addressed the specific needs of the day with a keen eye on the big picture. He worked hard at developing relation- ships where his employees would be com- fortable enough to offer their ideas and fully use their talents. Collaboration was the norm. And he was never concerned about being the smartest person in the room. That freed him up to pursue better ways of doing things in an environment that was both motivational and rewarding to those working for him. So here are just a few things I learned from David. GIVE OTHERS CREDIT In Facilities Management, like most organizations, there is a high level of interdependence and collaboration, is essential for success. Collaboration is a social dynamic. When things work, it is important to provide positive feedback on a personal level. Recognition and 14 | january/february 2015 | Facilities Manager