At a Grant Thornton roundtable in January, finalists of the 2022 Halifax Chamber Business Awards gathered for a candid conversation about what it means to be an authentic leader. The cross-industry panel—including leaders from technology, not-for-profit, retail, and R&D—shared their thoughts on the characteristics of authentic leadership and why it’s key to personal and organizational success.
The participants expressed that leading authentically is more important than ever. They also noted that it isn’t a set of behaviors or statements that are limited to the workplace—it’s a mindset that creates empathy, connection, and understanding across an organization. The participants shared concrete advice on how to lead authentically, including building trust, having a shared leadership model, emphasizing mentorship, and creating time and space to avoid burnout.
Building trust
Building and maintaining trust is a journey that spans a leader’s career. You can create a leadership style and organization that’s rooted in trust by sharing parts of yourself that aren’t directly related to your work life. This shows comfort with vulnerability and demonstrates that you care about your people’s lives outside of work.
You can also build trust by redefining what it means to fail. Authentic leaders position failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. Approaching failure from a place of humility; curiosity and agility builds trust by showing your people that you value a range of perspectives and the ability to learn and move forward together.
Implementing shared leadership
Engagement leads to empowerment. This can be created through a shared leadership model that emphasizes transparency and articulates your organization’s purpose. When your people feel empowered to play an active role in problem-solving and their own development, they’re more likely to apply those behaviors to their interactions with their colleagues.
Shared leadership also signals that it’s acceptable not to know all the answers. It builds a sense of transparency that can help people understand an organization’s decision-making process and their part in building and maintaining a workplace culture that facilitates self-defined leadership and autonomy.
Building a culture of mentorship
Everyone—regardless of where they are in their career—can benefit from mentorship. Building mentorship into your leadership style lets your people know that you’re committed to everyone’s development and wellbeing while also contributing to a culture where people feel seen, connected, and supported.
Creating time and space to avoid burnout
Many organizations are facing widespread fatigue and burnout. You can encourage your people to prioritize their health and well-being by leading by example. Part of leading authentically is knowing when to pause, listen, and make space for ourselves and for others. This allows for better decision making, the ability to work more proactively, and the empowerment to step away to recharge when necessary.
Find the way forward
Authentic leadership isn’t a buzzword—it’s a mindset that’s essential to build organizations where everyone is heard, empowered, and engaged.
At Grant Thornton, we want to help grow strong communities and connect leaders to share experiences and explore insights. If you’d like to discuss how to meet your business goals, our business advisors are here to assist you on your journey.
Round table facilitators
• Melinda Fleming
Principal, Indirect Tax
+1 902 491 7743
Melinda.Fleming@ca.gt.com
• Gerry Lacroix
Partner, Assurance
+1 902 491 7747
Gerry.Lacroix@ca.gt.com
• Lana Elewa
Senior Manager, Assurance
+1 902 420 7184
Lana.Elewa@ca.gt.com
• Rodney Belliveau
Partner, Assurance
+1 902 491 7720
Rodney.Belliveau@ca.gt.com
• Matthew MacAdam
Partner, Taxation
+1 902 420 7153
Matthew.MacAdam@ca.gt.com
• Jillian Murray
Partner, Transactions
+1 902 491 7745
Jillian.Murray@ca.gt.com
Learn more about Grant Thornton at:
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