Why Authentic Leadership Is So Hard

Do you feel like your true self at work, or is going to work like putting on a mask? As leaders, we know we’re supposed to be authentic, but that is often easier said than done.

Babson College management professor Tina Opie explains how leaders can bring their best selves to work and help others do the same – by focusing on good communication and expressing emotion effectively.

“Humans automatically categorize other people. We automatically think, ‘OK. This kind of person is going to be more professional. This kind of person is not going to be,’” she tells Women at Work hosts Amy Bernstein, Sarah Green Carmichael, and Nicole Torres. “If you happen to fall into the latter category, you may have some additional work that you have to do to demonstrate that you are in fact fierce, professional, amazing.”

Key topics include: leadership, gender, authenticity, emotion at work, and interpersonal communication.

HBR On Leadership curates the best case studies and conversations with the world’s top business and management experts, to help you unlock the best in those around you. New episodes every week.

• Listen to the original Women at Work episode: Lead with Authenticity (February 2018)
• Find more episodes of Women at Work.
• Discover 100 years of Harvard Business Review articles, case studies, podcasts, and more at HBR.org.