In A World Lacking Authentic Leadership, It Is Up To Us To Fill the Void

When was the last time you truly trusted someone in a traditional position of leadership? Not just accepted their authority, but genuinely believed in their integrity and vision, and had a deep sense of trust with them? As I write this in the fall of 2024, authentic and congruent leadership seems more like a rare commodity than a common trait among those in positions of power and influence.

In wanting to grow my own leadership skills, I spent much of this year researching and practicing leadership, including different styles and frameworks within groups I run, and throughout my day to day life. What follows are some thoughts on where I see traditional leadership failing us, and how we might be able to make positive change through a leadership framework that most spoke to me during my research. 

Our Leadership Crisis 

I believe that we’re living in an era where positions of power are increasingly devoid of true leadership. The daily evidence is abundant: political figures who prioritize donor interests over the voice of the people, corporations that preach innovation while at the same time implementing practices that encourage fear and disconnection, and institutions that champion values they don't actually practice. This isn't just about individual failures – it's a systemic crisis where those in traditional leadership positions consistently choose hoarding of power and wealth, division over unity, and short-term gains over long-term societal wellbeing. 

The result? A deepening epidemic of mistrust that's eroding the foundations of our workplaces, institutions, and to the point where it is degrading even our personal relationships. As I write this in October of 2024, just days from the United States presidential election, a significant percentage of voters are voting for candidates not because they trust and believe in their values and positions, but simply because the other candidate is “worse”. Blame and gaslighting pervades this landscape instead of ownership and responsibility, where we increasingly fight amongst ourselves rather than the systems that perpetuate this dysfunction. 

As trust in leadership continues to plummet, we're left with a troubling question: How did we arrive at a place where those entrusted with guiding our society seem more interested in maintaining power than collaborating on solutions to the problems we face? And, what can we do about it? 

To address these challenges, we need to fundamentally reconsider what leadership means in today's world. The old definitions and frameworks clearly aren't serving us – so what should modern leadership look like?

Redefining Leadership 

In my opinion, traditional definitions of leadership have become outdated, clinging to structures and methods that no longer serve our modern needs. Dictionaries may define leadership as 'a person who guides or directs a group,' but this simplistic view fails to capture the complexity and responsibility true leadership demands in today's interconnected world. While conventional definitions focus on position and authority, they miss the essential elements that make leadership truly effective: authenticity, congruence, empathy, and the ability to create positive systemic change fostered by strong relationships grounded in connection and collaboration. 

Looking at conventional leadership frameworks reveals their limitations. Businesses and schools teach leadership as a set of management techniques. Political systems reduce it to the ability to win elections and maintain power. Corporate structures often equate it with climbing organizational ladders. Yet none of these approaches address what we desperately need from leadership today: the capacity to build deep trust, foster genuine connection through differences, and create environments where people and ideas can flourish. 

Core Elements of Modern Leadership

In my own research and experience this year, I feel that effective leadership for the modern era needs to embody the following elements:

• Authenticity - Being true to one's own personality or character; presenting your true self to the world (as best you can, because 100% authenticity can be hard)

• Congruence - When your actions align with your thoughts or feelings, and especially, your words

• Responsibility - Taking full ownership of the things within your own control, rather than placing blame outside of yourself

• Connection and Relationships - Challenging yourself to prioritize relationships and connection, knowing that the best outcomes are generated when we are deeply connected and collaborating, especially through our disagreements

From here, it’s my view that when leaders prioritize trust and connection via these ways of being, traditional leadership tasks flow naturally. The collective wisdom and creativity of a united group consistently delivers stronger outcomes than individualistic directives alone.

Leadership As a Practice

One thing that I found interesting in my leadership research was that while there are countless ways that leadership is defined, and many different frameworks to learn, I continuously saw a gap in recommendations and methods to actually practice these concepts. Personally, I think it is critical to remember that leadership is not a destination. It's not about achieving a certain position or title – it's about consistently choosing to show up in ways that connect, inspire, and elevate others. I believe we need leadership that can be universally practiced and applied, whether that's at work, at home, or within the community. 

Leadership Of The Collective

The challenges we face today are too complex for the old model of the singular, all-knowing leader. Instead, we need a new understanding of leadership as a collective capacity, where different voices and perspectives come together to create solutions that draw from a wide range of diverse opinions. This collaborative approach to leadership doesn't diminish individual responsibility; rather, it enhances it by recognizing that true change comes from our ability to work together effectively and draw the best insights from our collective consciousness. 

Enter: Conscious Leadership

Of all the frameworks and methods that I came across during my research, the concept of conscious leadership was the one that spoke to me most as an answer to many of the problems I mentioned above. Conscious leadership represents a fundamental shift in how we approach ourselves, relationships, and collaboration with others. It's a practice that combines self-awareness, authentic connection, and bold mindset shifts to create leadership that serves rather than extracts, unifies rather than divides, and builds rather than depletes. To me, it addresses many of the roadblocks and energy drains that can come with being human and working together with others. 

Conscious leadership starts with a simple but profound premise: leaders must first lead themselves before they can effectively lead others. This means developing deep self-awareness, understanding our own triggers and biases, and consistently choosing to respond rather than react unconsciously. If you’re familiar with emotional intelligence (EQ), you’ll likely know that people who are in touch with their emotions and how to manage emotions that can arise from things like stress can be much more capable leaders. Conscious leadership takes emotional intelligence a step further in that it challenges us to use that intelligence and awareness to improve our relationships by providing tools that help us to manage difficult conversations and relationships for the sake of growth of all parties.   

Unlike traditional leadership models that focus primarily on external actions and outcomes, conscious leadership begins with internal work and radiates outward through intentional and authentic behaviors with the goal of improving connection and collaboration which, in turn, improves creativity and innovation. 

I was first introduced to conscious leadership when I found the book: The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership. This book spoke to me. I could not put it down. And, while I don’t agree with every suggestion in the pages, I found myself saying “Yes!” when reading through most of it. The practices and mindsets within spoke to so much of what we need from leaders at this moment in time.

The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership

Since I came across this leadership style, I’ve been using it at work, at home, in groups I run, with friends, and just about anywhere I can, because to me, it can be used almost anywhere. It has helped me improve communication with others, work through difficult conversations, and to make some big decisions. It is something where I feel a significant impact in myself and my interactions, so much so that I share and teach the practices whenever 

Key Elements of Conscious Leadership 

While there are many powerful elements and commitments within conscious leadership (too many to cover in one article), I want to share a few key concepts that particularly resonated with me. These aren't just theoretical frameworks – they're practical tools that have transformed how I approach leadership in both my professional and personal life. Consider these a 'taste' of what conscious leadership offers, followed by some info on how you can learn more:

“The Line” in conscious leadership

• Awareness Using “The Line”: Conscious Leadership provides an incredible check-in tool called the line that can help us know how were showing up in any situation. You can either be above or below the line. When we are below the line, we are closed, defensive and committed to being right. When we are above the line, we are open, curious, and committed to learning

• Radical Responsibility: This concept has been a game changer for me. In a culture where blame pervades, this practice challenges us to understand what we can claim responsibility for in any given situation, rather than assigning blame to things or people. 

• Speaking with Candor: I feel like we’re encouraged to speak candidly quite often, but it can be hard to understand exactly how to do it. This practice, like many conscious leadership offers, gives specific guidance on how to have candid conversations in a healthy way, one that is in the best interest of everyone involved. 

Practicing Leadership in Your Own Way

Leadership is a core focus of mine these days, and I plan to write and share more about it in the future. I’m in the camp where all of us are leaders. All of us have unique skills and abilities that we can teach and share with others. We all have different ways we can inspire people and celebrate their best gifts. We can do all of this no matter if we’re in a position of leadership or not. In fact, I think we ourselves need to model the leadership we want to see if we are ever going to regain the trust of leaders in traditional systems of influence and power. 

In my opinion, conscious leadership is exactly what we need in these times of polarization and division. We need leadership for connection, collaboration, and creativity in a time where politicians and corporations are sowing disconnection and fear. We need leadership that challenges us to have hard and honest conversations in the interest of growth and success for our collectives and communities. We so very need to reject the trend that people who don’t 100% agree with us must be treated as enemies. 

Whether or not you choose conscious leadership as your vehicle to create this change, I want to remind anyone reading this that you have the ability to influence and inspire others, and that is all it takes to be a leader. In closing, here are some suggestions on how you can learn more and grow your own leadership skills. 

• Read The 15 Commitments of Conscious Leadership: See if this sparks any inspiration. If not, there are lots of other leadership frameworks out there. 

• Make a list of people who you consider great leaders: Do a deep dive on them to understand how they built their own skills. 

• Get an accountability partner or team: If something inspires you, share the concept with a friend, colleague, or co-worker. Explain the concept and ask them if they wouldn’t mind providing feedback to you if they notice any changes as you practice. 

• Create a book club or local group: If you find a practice or framework that you like, try a book club or group where you can learn and practice skills together. This is one of the best ways to learn. 

I’ll be adding more practices and concepts to the resources section of my website as they become available that will provide more ideas on how you can practice and grow your own leadership skills. 

In these challenging times, the most powerful act of leadership might simply be this: choosing to lead consciously in our own unique way, knowing that each small act of authentic leadership ripples outward, gradually transforming our relationships, our communities, and ultimately, our world. 

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