You Lead summary

To recap: being your authentic self at work makes you a better leader. But here’s where it gets tricky. It’s not enough to just show up to work and be yourself. All too often corporate structures aren’t supportive of personal authenticity – in fact, in some organizations, being yourself is actively discouraged. So to achieve this in your own workplace might first require structural change. 

To get started on this, ask yourself what conditions you need to create to support individual expression and integrity within your organization?

Okay, we’ve discussed some of the organizational changes your company might need to make to support authenticity and individuality at scale. Now, let’s get back to you. How can you do the work of becoming a compelling leader operating on your own terms?

Your first priority: trust yourself and your own unique viewpoint. When you’re acting like your most authentic self instead of trying to fit into a bland corporate mold, you’re going to experience something you might find uncomfortable: pushback and conflicting views. And that’s okay. You can’t be everything to everyone. And guess what? Your brand shouldn’t try to be everything to all customers, either. A 2019 report found that customers wouldn’t care if three-quarters of the brands covered in the survey disappeared forever. You don’t want your brand to be forgettable, let alone disposable. That’s why creating a unique brand personality, that flows from your own personality, is such an effective strategy. Not everyone will get you, or your brand, but the ones that do get it will actually care about you.

Does your brand pass the tattoo test? There’s a man called Jason George who has over 380 brands tattooed on his body. Each brand, he says, has impacted his life in a significant way. Does your brand have that kind of impact? Does it inspire that level of passion in your clients?

Leading authentically and creating an authentic, impactful brand personality puts your brand on the path to passing the tattoo test. And once it does, you can truly start leading from within, as we discussed in the last blink. In other words, it's time to transform into an employee-first, customer-centric organization. Here’s how to get started: 

Now, down to the nuts and bolts. Being a leader is stressful. Being a leader who strives to empower their employees, connect meaningfully with their customer base, and live out – however imperfectly – their company mission every day of the year is especially stressful. Luckily, there are a few hacks that can help smooth things over.

First, start your day with mindfulness. If you like to meditate, the morning is when you’ll benefit from it most. And if you’re not a meditator, why not give it a try. It’s a practice that helps you cultivate calm and perspective, even in the most stressful of situations. In other words, it's tailor-made for founders and CEOs.