Deliver Authentic Leadership

Listened to Robin Sharma’s podcast two weeks ago, and I was amazed. I was inspired by the thoughts and the ideas in that four minute audio. I then had our leaders listen to it, and they were inspired too. Asked Mansi to do a transcript and here it is for you! Thanks for everyone who helped make this happen!

Anyone who’s a leader, I strongly recommend you listen to this podcast, and read this transcript!

Deliver Authentic Leadership

Hi, It’s Robin Sharma. Title of this podcast is Deliver Authentic Leadership.

Authentic Leadership has nothing to do with position or title. You know, one of the key things I spend my life doing, is helping employees and helping people lead without title. Because ultimately leadership is not about your title, it’s about what you do, it’s about how you show up, it’s about the results you create, it’s about taking personal responsibility, it’s about seeing the best in other people, it’s about innovating, it’s about reaching for something higher, it’s about getting yourself and your organization to world class.

I guess, what I am suggesting is that great organizations are made up of women and men who see themselves as leaders. No matter what they do in the company. I believe that every single human being on the planet, is hard-wired to play at their highest game. I mean that’s what we are meant to do. That’s what’s available to us. In other words, I believe, that you as a human being have a deep need, it might be subconscious, but you have a deep need to achieve your highest potential and be the best you can be. And when we fail to live up-to that duty, you betray your self. And I believe the greatest crime that a human being can commit is the crime of self betrayal.

When you fail to play your highest game as a human being, and when you fail to bring all your talents and all your energies to the work you do, I believe that you are literally sabotaging your self and preventing yourself from the fulfillment, joy and inner peace that is your birth right.

So authentic leadership is all about making choices. In every moment of every day, that will cause more of your best self to shine through in everything that you do. Authentic leadership is about taking a stand for the life you want to create, both professional and personal. You know, what could be more important than that? Because, a life is a gift you don’t want to waste.

Authentic leaders don’t play victim. Authentic leaders don’t blame their bosses, or team mates or the competition for what’s not working in the professional life. Instead authentic leaders have the courage and inner bravery to understand that if it’s meant to be, it’s up-to me. They are all about action and creating results as I suggested.

And you would notice that if you point a finger on me; I do this is with my audiences at my leadership presentations. I ask the group and say, point your index finger at me. So they point an index finger at me and then I smile and they say to them. Well, there is one index finger pointing at me but how many are back at you? And they gave me another smile and they say, you’re right. There is three back at me. And I think it is a simple metaphor to remind you of what effective leadership is all about. And at all times remember, that it is important to take personal responsibility for making things better. In other words you don’t ever want to be part of the problem, you always want to be part of the solution.

In an issue a while ago in Vanity Fair, Jennifer Aniston was talking about some of her philosophies on life. And she said something very interesting and now I call it the Jennifer Aniston rule.

And she simply said that, you know, if there is a problem in my life I give my self one day to play victim. And the day after that, I get up and I take responsibility for my role in the problem. And then she added; even if I’ve only been a one percent contributor to that problem.

And that’s a very powerful way to live. Blaming others is nothing more than excusing yourself. There is no Authentic Leadership in that. But you want to wake up every morning and ask yourself, what’s not working in my life? And then take ownership over what you contribute. Even if it is only one percent to that problem. And work on that one percent. That will be such a powerful way to live.

And here’s a big idea: The more you take personal responsibility over your life, the problems, what’s not working, the challenges, the irritations and the frustrations: the more powerful you become. The more confident you become. The realm in which you can make decisions, begins to expand. And you began to see new possibilities and you step into very best self. And you begin to see the world with a new set of lenses. So authentic leaders always go for that high choice and doing so, they design extraordinary lives for themselves.

And if you are interested in listening to some more, here’s the complete archive of Robin Sharma’s Success Podcasts.