Is Authenticity limiting or liberating you?

As leaders we often create stories for ourselves about who we are and what we stand for. It is the meaning we make about who we are that enables some others to connect. However, I would argue that if we start to believe in one version of our story at the cost of all other possibilities and become dogmatic in this belief, then we run the risk of limiting ourselves reducing the potential impact we can make in the long term. The act of promoting some stories and relegating other encourages a fixed mindset, making us less open to new experiences and challenges, negatively impacting compassion both for ourselves and others.

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I believe that as people we have a variety of potentialities to be explored and that we do so all as part of a larger, more liberating authentic self. Rather than limiting ourselves I believe that by owning our previously relegated stories we have the opportunity to expand the reservoir of potential available to us and, in doing so, allow ourselves to turn up in a bigger, more expansive way. Still authentic but more open to diversity of thought and with a deeper level of compassion for self and others. We also have the ability to choose what part of ourselves we bring to a situation to create the required impact and don't need to bring all of ourselves to every situation.

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Some of the differences of each of these world views that I often see in working with others:

Limiting Authenticity 

• We see ourselves through a fixed mindset

• We see ourselves as a finished article, “I am what I am, period”

• We have a limited interest in alternate approaches and can't understand it when others do not see the world as we do

‍Liberating Authenticity

• We see ourselves through a growth mindset

• We see ourselves as full of potential, “I am capable of more and can continue to learn and grow”

• We believe that we can become whatever we need to be for a given situation in service of others

For me, a limiting authentic world view puts the pressure on everyone else to make us right whereas a more liberating authentic world view takes responsibility for their role in the world and the impact they have on others.

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A liberating view of authenticity allows us to learn and grow and gives us the ability to flex our style and approach to suit the needs of the situation at hand and create the impact the world needs, rather than what we want.

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However, if the idea of taking a more liberating view of authenticity scares us, as well it might, then that is because this worldview comes with a challenge. When we operate in this way we take responsibility for our situation and don’t allow ourselves the comfort of blaming external factors.

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Liberating authenticity requires a radical shift in personal accountability and for some this can be a step too far.

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For those willing to take that journey, I pose some questions for further reflection:  

1. When do you catch yourself viewing the world through a Limiting Authentic perspective?

2. What would be possible if you viewed the world through a more Liberating Authentic perspective?

3. What would you need to let go of in moving toward a more Liberating Authentic perspective?

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