A Perfect Example of Authentic Leadership
A perfect example of authenticity at its best is Jenn Scalia, one of the top business coaches in the world. While succeeding in the entrepreneurial world and growing her business, she put on a few more pounds than she would have liked. This happens to the best of us. In one of the best blog posts I’ve ever read, she shared her story and how she didn’t feel she was her ideal figure (as so many people feel, men and women alike).
Jenn felt overwhelmed with some of the stresses of life, and while doing well in certain areas, she didn’t take care of her health and general well-being as much as would have been ideal.
Society, television, and seductive advertisements brainwash us with the idea that maintaining a perfect weight is easy. But for many people, it’s not easy at all. The point here is not to talk about the bad information society teaches us from an early age, as that’s a topic for another book. Nor is it to talk about weight loss. The point here is to reveal the enormous value of authenticity and how it ties into your ongoing success.
In Jenn’s blog post, she revealed that as much as she was putting herself out there, she was still hiding in some ways. In a follow-up post in the same year, she also discussed giving away too much for free and letting other people use her, which is something I’ve done myself on countless occasions but am actively working to improve. These discussions were powerful because she was helping people to understand that everyone struggles with these challenges, even successful people.
It takes a lot of guts to show your authentic, true self to the world like Jenn did and continues to do. When you do, it not only helps others but also sets you free. Once you do something like Jenn did, there is nothing left for you to run or hide from. As Jim Morrison said, “Expose yourself to your deepest fear; after that, fear has no power, and the fear of freedom shrinks and vanishes. You are free.”
When you courageously reveal what’s going on in your inner life to the world, you accomplish a number of things:
- You inspire others to do the same, encouraging them to stop hiding in their darkness.
- You develop a supportive, loving community that is there to help you work through whatever it is you’re going through.
- You initiate change through a ripple effect in both yourself and others.
- You authentically share a message coming from your true self, and you spread a message that will echo throughout eternity.
- You feel at peace in knowing that in a world where so many people are afraid to be who they really are, you had the awareness and empowerment to be who you really are – sharing the good AND the bad.
Now, I’m definitely not saying to spill your beans to any stranger on the street. Continue to use your best judgment and listen to your intuition as to who you are going to trust. I’m just saying that when it comes to authenticity, be who you really are and not anyone else. There are times when I’m speaking in front of thousands of people when I comfortably share my deepest, darkest moment, and there are times when I wouldn’t want to share my story with the one or two people around me. Choose the right moment, but don’t be afraid to share. Play to your authenticity and let people see the real you in its entirety.
What if Jenn was too afraid to share her true self with the world? Then many people wouldn’t have been enlightened by her example. Sharing with others the thing you are afraid to share lets the light into your situation.
As you build your community, share your story, get out there more, and make your own unique contribution to the world, remember to always be authentic. So many good things come from being your true self and you will love how you make genuine connections from being real and transparent. You have nothing to hide – you are here on the planet to help others while being true to yourself.
Jenn Scalia was featured in chapter 3 of the award-winning book Reach Your Mountaintop.
