The Authenticity Paradox

Authenticity is a leadership trait that is increasingly placed center stage. Indeed, it is necessary to gain the trust of our staff and succeed in rallying them, to display coherence and transparence about our personal goals. However, beware of abusive simplification, Herminia Ibarra, a teacher at INSEAD and London Business School, warns us. Ill interpreted, this authenticity motto can lead executives to adopt too static attitudes, which then risk hampering their evolution. This article defines what authenticity is and is not. In particular, it underlines the fact that we all evolve, constantly, and that the quest for authenticity must not lock us up in a frozen vision of our identity.

A concise and striking article, that sheds light on a notion that is often ill understood.