Be "authentic "but how?

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In her outstanding book Mindset, Carol Dweck vividly describes that we are either in an area of amplification and expansion of our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors or not (Dweck, 2008). Some leaders choose to be a statue, unwilling to bend. However, a closer observation of human functioning reveals that we are moving and alive even at the cellular level. From birth to death, we are growing and maturing and are not rooted to the spot. Leaders who continuously learn and update their operating systems are set up for opportunities to make the most remarkable change in the environments they steward. 

Authentic leadership's key component is self-awareness (Gardner et al., 2005). The literature describes self-awareness as a personal understanding and acknowledgment of how one is currently acting, behaving, and impacting others in their immediate circle of influence (Marquis & Huston, 2021). Additionally, Gardner et al. (2005) give a broader definition, such that the authentic leader takes ownership, takes on the responsibility of their personal life story that includes the way he or she thinks, feels, addresses their desires and goals, and acting in such ways that correspond with the true self that others experience.

References:

Dweck, C. S. (2008). Mindset the new psychology of success. Ballantine. 

Gardner, W. L., Avolio, B. J., Luthans, F., May, D. R., & Walumbwa, F. (2005). "Can you see the real me?" A self-based model of authentic leader and Follower Development. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 343–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.003

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2021). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (10th ed.). Wolters Kluwer.