Learning objective: Achieve clarity and confidence as your most authentic self Authenticity is the harmonious alignment between one's internal values and beliefs and their external behavior. Embracing authenticity in leadership involves aligning professional actions with personal ethics, values, and personality. Trust is built when leaders remain true to themselves, making it easier to achieve goals. In this session, we will explore the authenticity paradox in the workplace, learn to lead authentically, and identify practical ways to embody authenticity in your leadership role. By the end of this session, attendees will be able to: 1. Differentiate between constructive and detrimental authentic behaviors. 2. Identify your core values and understand their influence on your leadership actions. 3. Establish trust and transparency in your team as an authentic leader while navigating the authenticity paradox. 4. Cultivate a team that embraces individual and collective strengths and authenticity.

1. Authenticity: Embracing Your True Self as a Leader

2. Authenticity: Embracing Your True Self as a Leader
Sondia J. Christian, Ed.D.
Director, Business Integration
HII-Ingalls
Patty A. Coons-Wallace
Technical Project Manager IBM High
Availability Center of Competency
Andie L. Gonzalez
Medical Science Liaison, Abbott
Nutrition

3. 3
Authenticity is the harmonious alignment between one's internal values and beliefs and their external behavior. Embracing
authenticity in leadership involves aligning professional actions with personal ethics, values, and personality. Trust is built
when leaders remain true to themselves, making it easier to achieve goals. In this session, we will explore the authenticity
paradox in the workplace, learn to lead authentically, and identify practical ways to embody authenticity in your leadership
role.
Learning objectives:
Achieve clarity and confidence as your most authentic self
By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:
1. The importance of authentic leadership
2. Differentiate between constructive and destructive authentic behaviors
3. Identify your core values and understand their influence on your leadership actions
4. Establish trust and transparency in your team as an authentic leader while navigating
the authenticity paradox
5. Cultivate a team that embraces individual and collective strengths and authenticity.
6. Finding and accepting your authentic leadership style

4. The Essence of Authentic Leadership
Authenticity in leadership entails:
• Being true to oneself
• Embracing one’s uniqueness
• Leading with genuine values and principles
• Staying honest
• Being transparent and vulnerable
• Acknowledging both strengths and weaknesses
• Cultivating an environment of trust and respect
‘In a world where leaders are often under tremendous pressure to perform,
conform, and meet expectations, embracing authenticity can be a game-
changer.’

5. Constructive
Aligns desired organizational outcomes with a genuine
focus on the best interests of others. To wield
constructive influence, leaders need to create an
emotional connection with their people and build
trusting relationships.
5 Principles of Constructive Influence:
1. Emotional Engagement
2. Involvement
3. Creation of Meaning
4. Ethical Purpose
5. Credibility
Constructive vs. Destructive Behavior
Destructive
Systematic and repeated behavior that violates the
interest of the organization by undermining and/or
sabotaging the goals, tasks, resources, and effectiveness
and/or the motivation, well-being or job satisfaction of
their team.
2 characteristics usually displayed:
1. Behavioral Integrity- misalignment between
words and actions
2. Behavioral Complexity- struggles to manage
or perform multiple tasks

6. 6
Cultivating Authenticity in Your Leadership Journey
Cultivating authenticity in leadership is an ongoing process that requires conscious effort, here are some
steps to help on your journey:
• Self-Reflection
Take time to reflect on your values, beliefs and leadership style
• Authenticity in Communication
Encourage open and honest communication, be transparent about your vision and challenges
• Embrace Vulnerability
Admit your mistake and use them as opportunities to learn and grow.
• Lead with Empathy
Understand the experience and perspectives of your team, show empathy and compassion.
• Encourage Diverse Voices
Create an inclusive environment that welcomes diverse perspectives and ideas.
• Walk the Talk
Lead by example, demonstrate the values you expect from your team.

7. The Impact of Authentic Leadership
• Increasing employee engagement, commitment, satisfaction and productivity.
• Improving organizational culture by fostering trust, collaboration, creativity, and ethical behavior.
• Creating a positive work environment where employees feel empowered to take risks, share their ideas, and
collaborate on new studies.
• Attracting similar-minded employees who trust and value the leadership quality.
• Developing a strong reputation for reliability and trustworthiness.
• Resulting in stronger teams and enhances business performance.
• Contributing to a positive work environment where employees share openly, celebrate success, and identify
challenges in time to be addressed.

8. 8
Authenticity Paradox
The authenticity paradox is the idea that you must choose
between being yourself or being effective.
Leaders today struggle with authenticity for several reasons:
• We make more frequent and radical changes in the kind of work we do.
• We work with people who don’t share our cultural norms and have different expectations for how we
should behave.
• Our identity’s are always on display due to ubiquitous connectivity, how we present ourselves as people
has become an important aspect of leadership.

9. 9
What can you do to find a leadership style that is authentic
for you?
Items you can focus on to gain more self-awareness and clarity about yourself:
• Reflect and figure out what your values are.
• Reflect and figure out what brings you joy and what your life purpose might be.
• Get to know that wise inner voice that knows how you want to be at your best, and who you want to
become as the best version of yourself.
• Invite feedback, understand and become able to articulate what your strengths and weaknesses are.
• Practice reflecting how your actions and behaviors line up with your values and vision for your life.
• Understand how the parts of your identity that you can’t change are powerful and unique as strengths.

10. 10
Sondia J. Christian, Ed.D.
Director, Business Integration
HII-Ingalls
Andie L. Gonzalez
Medical Science Liaison, Abbott
Nutrition
Let’s have the discussion……
Patty A. Coons-Wallace
Technical Project Manager IBM High
Availability Center of Competency

11. Questions?