Authenticity and being an authentic leader are expressions that leaders oft come across.
What really does being an authentic leader mean?
In this podcast we have an example that provides a scientific perspective to the need to be true to yourself.
There is a reason behind that.
It all started in a discussion about Einstein’s kinetic energy formula of
mass X velocity²/ 2. For this equation let us take the individual as a specific energetic mass that includes all believes, shadows and perceptions that one carries around and which influences the weight in life. This is not the physical weight but the energy weight.
When we shine light on to these shadows and believes we come to realise that some of them are outdated. We can then shed these and be lighter in our energy weight.
This process starts to help one develop a different level of quality of consciousness and of awareness about self and the surrounding environment. It leads to being more focussed, authentic and more directive in one’s journey enabling to use less energy to create what is needed and also use less time to do activities.
Most of us can relate to this as we often feel like the eternal hamster in the wheel!
We just keep doing and doing. Working for eight hours, having issues that spike the adrenalin, creates so much adrenalin in our body that our body doesn't get time to restore itself to a balanced state.
This creates stress.
A lot of companies are looking at corporate wellness programs, work-life balance, and reduced work hours as means of combating stress because stress is harmful.
Whilst wellness programs are helpful it is leaders who often forget about themselves and the need for them to have a work-life balance.
[spp-tweet tweet=""This is because they are not being true to themselves due to the external influence on their ego of being a leader.”"]
We can call this emotional-data. This is the self-perception of the leader about how he or she thinks she is seen by others. This emotional-data is the mass in the kinetic energy equation.
By de-stressing it helps relax and remove perceptions created by the external influences. For some meditation does not work simply because of the immense amount of hormonal imbalance created by high adrenalin. The body is simply not able to relax to start getting back to being in a balanced state.
In a scenario like this the first thing is to try and do an activity that grounds one by doing something that really gives joy.
Doing this gets one to be more in touch with self, makes one more reflective and become true to oneself.
The emotional data, created through research of taking counsel or advice of people that you know to make a decision, is there but with a difference. It is not making that decision based on some emotional thought of what is it that others want or think you should be doing. It is more of connecting with oneself and reading one's gut and heart.
This provides a much clearer directive and less baggage and, therefore, you become more agile and are able to make decisions faster and in less time.
This is what coaches and counsellors do. They talk with people. At times just expressing the issue leaves the speaker feeling much lighter.
For those who do not have a coach or counsellor one needs to find ways, which are applicable and helpful, to de-stress and make decisions easier.
That makes it less is more by being able to reflect, balance oneself and take decisions effectively based on one's heart and gut.
