Dawn, your post on authentic leadership is so helpful. I’ve been navigating a bit of the challenge of understanding authentic leadership vs. transformational leadership and how those two can be seen as distinct. Your post really brought some clarity for me and I’m very grateful for that. Thank you!
As far as your question at the end of your post, the tension between a leader’s desire for relationship with those around them with the reality that too much transparency may reduce the authority of the leader is very real. I know I struggle with that as a leader. Although I don’t have a definitive answer I have learned along the way that those around us already know we have weaknesses. Sometimes they see our weaknesses more clearly than we do! The first admission is that I’m not perfect, I have areas where I struggle and I promise that I will let you down as a leader.
I have found over time that in leadership relationships where I am willing to make that assumption, those around me rally with support, encouragement and increased commitment to the cause. Areas where I have weaknesses can be strengthened by others around me.
The difficulty is leanring to not be threatened or ashamed of those around us who have different strengths and who compensate for our weakness. This is the internal work that a leader has to go through to develop empathy, compassion and courage while managing this tension of desire for relationship and fear of transparency.