Authentic leaders thrive in technocracy

 

We have an inherent need to be accepted and valued by our peers. Sometimes, this desire can lead to a reluctance to show our authentic selves. This fear stems from a lack of self-confidence that our true personality and authenticity may be unacceptable or undesirable to others.

Authenticity simply means that we are true to our personality, values and spirit, regardless of the pressure that we're under to act otherwise. We ought to be honest with ourselves and with others. We should take responsibility for our own mistakes. Our values, ideals and actions should align no matter what the circumstances are.

Being authentic means what we say in life aligns with our actions. Our authentic self goes beyond what we do for a living, what possessions we own or who we are to someone who we often interact with. It is who we are at the deepest bottom of our hearts untouched by other forces.

We often struggle to be authentic due to lack of self-esteem, fear of judgment and our social desire to be liked by others even if we do not like ourselves. Past experiences from childhood can mistakenly teach us sometimes that it is not safe to be genuine. Self-protection, fear and shame come on and off when we are trying to be true to ourselves.

The tech industry needs more authentic leaders. Technology has the potential to change our lives for the betterment of our society with equal opportunities and equitable growth. It requires leaders who are equipped with authenticity and resilience to influence the rapid development of technocracy and how new technologies are applied.

Tech-focused entrepreneurship, leadership or management advice that we’ve heard so far is often misleading when it comes to authenticity. For example, deep technical expertise may help you to become a leader, but it is not always true. Authentic leaders should not build new technology for the sake of building it. Instead, authentic leaders help unblock their team, focus on driving them to excel in their expertise and learn from them.

Authentic leaders should embrace opportunities to help shape the next generation of leaders. Hence, every team member should have the opportunity to lead even if leaders are often told that they should stick to leading while their staff only work for them to produce results.

Authentic leaders can’t make the first time right. They rather keep trying until it works. Apple, Google, Microsoft or Tesla were not built on their first attempt. Apparently, there is a cost for failures. However, many high-performing companies would be more successful if they were encouraged to be faster than correct the first time.

History repeats. However, authentic leaders should not waste time on history or learning what happened in the past. They learn from previous mistakes and others who keep trying to correct their conventions by doing something on their own. Some stakeholders may feel uncomfortable every step of the way. But, as long as the authentic leaders keep building value and landing on the treetops, they must be fine.

We are often advised to become authentic leaders to build trust, respect and positive cultures. Some characteristics or attempts that you make to be your authentic self may be unfairly viewed as negative, despite a positive intention. Being authentic does not eliminate bias.

Hence, it is important to stay flexible. Some rigid processes may lead to better results and keep teams organized but authentic leaders often lose the opportunity to be innovative. If there is no one way to complete a certain task due to given restrictions or limited resources, it will help authentic leaders to reiterate processes and produce better results.

The tech industry moves quickly. It requires many iterations and feedback loops from many sources to thrive. It is common to hear that leaders must have a roadmap that stretches out for five to ten years. However, no one knows what the world is going to be like next year. Sticking to the old roadmap could be counterproductive. The changes are inevitable. New technologies are being released every day. Hence, authentic leaders must be adaptable.

We often forget how to become authentic. We must make courageous decisions that align with our core beliefs and values. We should pursue our passions no matter what others might say. We also set boundaries and enforce these boundaries by keeping us away from toxic or harmful relationships.

The path toward becoming an authentic leader is not easy. Don’t forget that authentic leaders are the ones who shape our world for success. With their leadership, diverse stakeholders in technocracy can not only survive but thrive to their full potential.

Daniel Shin is a venture capitalist and senior luxury fashion executive, overseeing corporate development at MCM, a German luxury brand. He also teaches at Korea University.