Authenticity Is What Keeps Leaders in the Room

Too often, leadership is reduced to transactions: meeting quotas, checking boxes, hitting targets. But the leaders who make the deepest impact are the ones people choose to follow—lead differently. They lead with authenticity.

In my own work building programs like SMU and Emory’s Women in Leadership, I’ve seen what happens when leaders show up as their whole selves. Authentic leadership changes the atmosphere. It builds trust. It strengthens commitment. It creates communities that sustain people long after the program ends.

Why Authenticity Matters More Than Ever

Leadership without authenticity may get short-term results, but it doesn’t create lasting influence. When leaders operate with masks on—saying what sounds good but not what’s real—people notice. And when trust erodes, retention, innovation, and culture suffer.

The stakes are especially high right now. Nearly 300,000 Black women were pushed out of the workforce recently. That’s not just a statistic—it’s a wake-up call. The cost of inauthentic leadership, of workplaces that fail to create true belonging, is far too high.

Authentic Leaders Do Three Things Well

They build trust through consistency. What you say and what you do align.
They create belonging. People don’t just feel included, they feel valued.
They stay grounded. Authentic leaders admit what they don’t know, listen deeply, and model humility alongside confidence.

A Challenge for Leaders

The truth is, authenticity isn’t about perfection, it’s about courage. The courage to bring your full self to the table, to admit mistakes, and to connect on a human level. It’s also about discipline: staying aligned with your values even when the pressure mounts.

If we want workplaces where leaders stay and where talent chooses to stay with them, we need to center authenticity, not as a buzzword, but as a practice.

Where Do You Stand?

Think about your own leadership:

How are you practicing authenticity day to day?
Where are you tempted to perform instead of connect?
What small shift could you make this week to lead more openly and more real?

Because at the end of the day, authenticity isn’t just what brings leaders into the room—it’s what keeps them there.