“Today’s generation want leaders who excite them and ignite them. They want leaders who are real.”
— Gabrielle Dolan
Truth always stands the test of time; truth will always outlast duplicity because it remains consistent within itself.
Why keeping it real keeps you going:
Keeping it real is authentic, and that engenders trust. An environment built on transparency causes operations to accelerate, maintaining integrity without sacrificing efficiency.
Keeping it real fosters a transparent organizational culture that monitors itself.
Keeping it real strengthens connections with leaders and motivates people.
Keeping it real syncs your lifestyle with your mission, vision, and values.
Begin with Being Honest with Yourself
Apple founder, Steve Jobs, correctly observed, “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.”
It isn’t easy standing your ground and being true to yourself in today’s world, with so many projecting an image of securing happiness, success, health, and wealth, all on their own. There are no short cuts to accomplishments in the real world, and no one remains relevant for long without authenticity.
Profitability at the Speed of Trust
“The truth no matter how hard it is to bear, must be accepted and confronted head on because it is real. Businesses and people who accept truth soar.”
— Germany Kent
A Forbes marketing piece remarks, “Authenticity” has been shown in Gen-Z research as a critical element in how they evaluate products and services. Gen-Z consumers want to be able to trust the brand, understand what it stands for and be confident that they aren’t being sold a bag of goods. This is why influencers have become so important. They are an intermediary that can build trust and confidence about a product or service with a prospective Gen-Z consumer.” (1)
Neil Patel writes, “Simply put, being authentic means staying true to who you are, what you do and who you serve. In an environment in which more human elements matter it creates value and benefits for your followers as well as improving your business.” (2)
Being Your Best Self Is Self-Empowering
Contributor to Inc.com writes, “By knowing and being yourself, you are better able to acknowledge things that you do not know well enough. You won’t be too proud to ask questions because you - and, hopefully, everyone you work with - know how genuine you are. People will respect your ability and even eagerness to pick their brains.
People who are themselves and live happy, fulfilling, authentic lives, have clear goals and ambitions. They are very clear on their motivations and do not overextend themselves to achieve arbitrary (or needless) results. In other words, they have a laser focus on the important things.
While sharing intimate insights into your life would not be an appropriate means to build fruitful business relationships, it has become quite a trend for colleagues, employees, and employers to share their more human sides.
By using your authenticity and being who you are at your core, you can build trust in your relationships and create a business climate in your life, and work that allows for real fulfillment and joy.” (3)
I try to keep it real. I don’t have time to worry about what I’m projecting to the world. I’m just busy being myself.
— Demi Lovato
Endnotes
(1) Forbes “Best Practices For Marketing” To Gen-Z https://bit.ly/3ttBxZ9
(2) Neil Patel Blog https://bit.ly/3A4pgvQ
(3) Inc.com “The Power of Being Yourself” https://bit.ly/3tydvwt