"I'm just being authentic" is often code for "I'm refusing to grow."
I learned this when my public speaking coach challenged me to explore vocal variety.
"This feels fake. Not the real me," I told her.
But what is the "real me" anyway?
Your voice has always had range you haven't explored.
Your leadership has dimensions you haven't accessed.
Your impact has levels you've never reached.
The uncomfortable truth?
• Your "authentic self" is partly just habit
• Your comfort zone masquerades as your identity
• Your resistance to change wears "authenticity" as a disguise
The most effective leaders I know?
They're constantly reinventing their approach.
They treat "authenticity" as a compass, not an anchor.
Because leadership authenticity isn't static.
It evolves.
It grows.
It transforms.
The question isn't "Is this authentically me?"
It's "Is this the leader I want to become?"
What "inauthentic" growth are you resisting today?
