Authenticity Continued

Many alpha males struggle with authenticity because it requires a certain amount of vulnerability, an admission that they are far from perfect, far from the ideal business partner or the genius they project. But it would go a long way in winning buy-in, respect and cooperation from their direct reports and colleagues.

Quite by accident I ran into my ex-boss a couple of weeks ago. I tried to avoid him for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, he makes me uneasy because he is so uncomfortable in his own skin. When we worked together I overlooked it and hoped one day he would accept himself for all of his brilliance and flaws and bask in the uniqueness of it all. It never happened. And it still hasn’t happened. He is plagued by “poseritis,” the attempt to mimic authenticity in an effort to fool the world into believing you are truly authentic.

For those of you working with individuals like this, remember the noble intention behind their actions. There is always a noble intention. (See last Thursday’s post.) It will help you see behind the mask and recognize that the genesis of their action started off as a noble intention to achieve a result that would benefit the company or department. This recognition may help you see beyond your frustration and open the door to more understanding on your part. A more logical and less emotional reaction is always a more expeditious way to finding a solution to the problem.