---

Non-authentic is a virus in anything you do in life.  Non-authentic is not benign. It metastasizes like a tumor. ~ @cookflix

---

When I first started people managing, I was given some simple advise: always find one personal thing from each person’s life and remember to ask them about it every week.

I’ve always remembered that.  I don’t recall how much I put it into practice but as I’m learning how to lean into my strengths, I keep coming back to that.

I’m a little embarrassed but it was probably a forced exercise back then. I was new to world of people managing and near clueless on coaching.

Contrast that to today where I still reach back out to those I used to work with – my Tribe. Except that it isn’t forced.

Authenticity builds trust.  Authenticity builds connections.

---

au·then·tic [aw-then-tik]
adjective: not false or copied;

---

True leaders come from a place of authenticity. They may look like a heretic or a crazy dancing guy but they are always coming from an Authentic Place.

As I delve into leadership – and really coaching those I work with – I try to always come from that place. Its easy to say this is part of my brand. I’m not sure it always was but my time at Mozilla helped me focus on being as open and transparent as possible.

---

trust [trəst]
noun: assured reliance on character, ability, strength; one in which confidence is placed

---

And then you have this trust thing.  And here’s the deal. If you come from an Authentic Place, you generate trust.

Kate Stull (@katestull) says it best in her blog post “Death to top-down leadership models“,

“Teams are no longer content to accept the overarching pronouncements from a shadowy boss figure that they never see, let alone speak to. Instead, people want to be led by someone they know. Someone they trust.”

There’s that word. Trust. I can’t get to that place of trust without being authentic. I can’t build a connection with you if I’m not authentic.

Otherwise you’re just a virus.