Authentic leadership isn't about being yourself—it's about doing these 7 things on purpose.
It's about doing it with purpose — and on purpose.
A wise woman (Dolly Parton, of course) once said:
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
Authenticity is an important facet of executive presence and it really makes a difference.
Authentic leaders boost team performance, creativity, and trust. (Duarte et al, 2021). It’s also good for the wellbeing of leaders themselves (Weiss et al, 2018). Living and working in a way that feels true to what you value and who you are builds confidence, self esteem and reduces stress.
You know where they stand with authentic leaders - they’re consistent and considered and they tackle the hard stuff in intentional ways.
But authentic leadership isn’t about just saying what you think, whenever you want.
‘Bringing your whole self to work’ without considering the impact of your words and actions can have negative repercussions - both for you and those around you.
Leading authentically requires doing it with purpose as well as on purpose.
Authentic leadership comes down to 7 behaviors.
Active listening - authentic leaders show genuine interest in others’ perspectives to make sure their responses are informed and respectful.
Reflection questions:
How often do I actively listen?
What gets in the way of me actively listening - for example sending messages during meetings?
How often do I start thinking about my answers before others have finished speaking?
How well do I pick up on non-verbal cues to ‘hear’ what’s not being said?
Thoughtful storytelling - authentic leaders strategically share relevant experiences that foster connection without oversharing.
Reflection questions:
How well do I balance vulnerability and professionalism in what I share?
What stories and information do I share with others and what connections do they foster?
Who around me uses storytelling powerfully and what can I learn from them?
Cultural sensitivity - authentic leaders seek to understand cultural diversity and observe non-verbal cues to foster psychological safety across cultural lines.
Reflection questions:
What cultural sensitivities do I need to consider in environments I’m in?
Where does my culture influence how I think, behave and communicate?
What knowledge would help me be more effective as a culturally sensitive leader?
Empathy - authentic leaders tailor their delivery to consider others’ emotions and viewpoints while staying true to their message.
Reflection questions:
How well do I acknowledge the feelings, needs and perspectives of others?
Are there situations which would benefit from me demonstrating more empathy?
How am I creating a culture which values empathy - to each other and to users of our products?
Owning their mistakes - authentic leaders admit errors transparently but also communicate lessons learned and corrective actions to maintain credibility.
Reflection questions:
Who has made me feel safe and appreciated when I’ve made a mistake? What did they do?
What’s something I’ve changed based on my learnings from something I got wrong?
What does my ability to learn from mistakes say about me?
Maintaining consistent values - authentic leaders know and keep their core values clear and visible to others.
Reflection questions:
What are my core values and how do they show up?
How do I know when I’m not acting/communicating in accordance with my values? What happens? How does it make me feel?
How could I better live my values in and outside work?
Aligning actions and words: authentic leaders follow through on commitments to build integrity.
Reflection questions:
How well do I follow through on my commitments?
What steps do I take to make sure I deliver?
How often do I overpromise? How do I manage these situations?
Yes these are a lot of questions so focus first on the areas which resonate the most.
Authentic leaders know they don’t get it right all of the time and they’re okay with that.
One more way to make time and space to develop your authentic leadership is through intentional personal development time with others.
This can include working with a mentor, a coach (one to one or as part of a group), or spending reflection time with trusted peers.
More about us
ProductLab’s community events are a great way to get inspired by the leadership of others, listen to compelling storytellers, and build your trusted network.
In 2026, ProductLabs will launch Leadership Circles, bringing together product leaders from corporates and scaleups (in separate groups) to define, explore, and achieve their career goals with the guidance, challenge, and support of a trusted peer network.
𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘑𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 Zalando & Miro 💛
Your Coach
Lucie McLean is a product and people leader with 29 years of experience in the media and technology worlds, including 19 years of experience creating digital products for global brands and leading diverse, high-performing teams. She’s also a conference speaker, mentor, executive coach, podcast guest, and webinar host.