by Travis Waits

Your ability to engage as a leader is dependent on your ability to be authentic. Doing so requires that you do the #growth work necessary around identifying your blind spots. Unless, as a leader you work through your blind spots, you will perpetually wear a mask, not leading with your authentic self. Who in your world helps you to develop and assist you in your growth as a leader?

Compartments disconnect you and stunt your effectiveness

Leadership Wholeness is about who you are matching from the inside out so there are no compartments. If character is defined as the “who you are when no one is looking,” wholeness is the practical application of your outside matching your inside. No compartments means that there is no disconnect. Who you see in the mirror matches who you present to the world. We fully get to show up and be present in every setting, every role, every context we participate each day of life.

Mask’s rob you of your ability to be authentic as a leader because they force the functioning in compartments. How much more freeing it is to be the same person in every situation! This requires integrity of character that can only come through productive thinking, the choice to grow in order to function in alignment with who you are.

The word “wholeness” actually comes from the Latin root word salus, which is also where we get the word “salvation.” In the dictionary, wholeness simply means “unity, entirety, completeness, and health.” Wholeness refers to the interrelatedness of the parts of a family system, in which the system as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts. So, if you affect change in one part of the system it will affect the entire system.

Leadership is about influence and you will be able to maximize your influence by working on your authenticity. Leaders who apply this wholeness concept in the professional role (business owner, executive, pastor, teacher, etc) find that their time is more productive, and fulfilling. The culture they foster with those they lead is responsive, collaborative, and engaging. Employee satisfaction levels are high.

A key indicator of authentic leaders is their ability to be vulnerable

Vulnerability is often associated with weakness.This, is complete BS. For many leader’s, exposing “chinks in the armor” doesn’t compute to a positive ROI! True leadership requires embracing your weakness, because only then do you actually have the power to live by your values. When you function in alignment with who you are, not only are you more authentic, but free then to effectively lead others with your influence. Because now you are showing you are a fellow human being, navigating your journey as best you can.

If your interested in taking some next steps and learning to apply this concept, please check out my FREE course on “Developing Leadership Vulnerability” here:

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