The Virtue of Authenticity

I have come across a lot of conversations in my professional fraternity regarding Authenticity. This is more so when we are in a lock-down where a lot of questions on being genuine, transparent, true to self and others is spoken about.

While I started putting my thoughts together on this subject, I thought I should also reach out to my friends, colleagues, academicians etc. and understand what their definition of the term ‘authenticity’ is. Also, in this process I will put down my thoughts on the subject.

Sharing a story, one of my senior colleague said that one will always find three kinds of people and he compared them with temple elephants. The first category is the slog elephant the one that you would find moving logs all day and since they take interest in their work, they are used in every piece of work by the mahout. The next set of elephants, he named as circus elephants, the one who is jumping around, super active and knows when and where to be present. The third set of elephants are the blessing elephants, they have been placed at a higher stage and their role is to bless. Who do you think is authentic?

Authenticity is all about being real. It involves self-awareness, rational transparency, and balanced processing. Being genuine, not an imitation. Just be what you are and speak from your guts and heart. It is a virtue that means erasing the gap between what you firmly believe on the inside and what you reveal to the world outside.

Authenticity is about being ourselves and not what we think we should be or what we are told to be. Authenticity brings in the confidence to see ourselves as who we are and how we are unique and different from others.

Authenticity is like sunshine that glows inside and gives a beautiful experience of warmth and genuineness to everyone who connects with us.

Authenticity elevates motivation. Interestingly, when someone praises us for our authenticity, our self-esteem goes up. When we play to our strengths and find ways to be authentic at work, we feel more connected to the organisation we work for and experience the joy in our pursuits.

The book ‘Rebel Talent’ by Francesca Gino captures Authenticity so well. The writer says – Authenticity gives us the courage, energy, and confidence we need to rebound from negative experiences. People can tell when we are being inauthentic. In fact, they register that inauthenticity in their bodies. When someone hides his/ her feelings, those who interact with him/her experience a rise in blood pressure. This physiological response helps explain our discomfort around people who seem “fake”.

Have you been in a situation when you thought that the person you connected and interacted with was not authentic? Or a situation when you thought you were not authentic?

How do you experience Authenticity? Will be happy to hear your views…...