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We all have the capacity to inspire and empower others. Discovering Your But we must first be willing to devote ourselves to our Authentic Leadership personal growth and development as leaders. by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer

Reprint R0702H

We all have the capacity to inspire and empower others. But we must first be willing to devote ourselves to our personal growth and development as leaders.

Discovering Your Authentic Leadership

by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer

During the past 50 years, leadership scholars Over the past five years, people have devel- have conducted more than 1,000 studies in an oped a deep distrust of leaders. It is increas- attempt to determine the definitive styles, ingly evident that we need a new kind of busi- characteristics, or personality traits of great ness leader in the twenty-first century. In 2003, leaders. None of these studies has produced a Bill George’s book, Authentic Leadership: Redis- clear profile of the ideal leader. Thank good- covering the Secrets to Creating Lasting Value, ness. If scholars had produced a cookie-cutter challenged a new generation to lead authenti- leadership style, individuals would be forever cally. Authentic leaders demonstrate a passion trying to imitate it. They would make them- for their purpose, practice their values consis- selves into personae, not people, and others tently, and lead with their hearts as well as would see through them immediately. their heads. They establish long-term, mean- No one can be authentic by trying to imitate ingful relationships and have the self-discipline someone else. You can learn from others’ expe- to get results. They know who they are. riences, but there is no way you can be success- Many readers of Authentic Leadership, in- ful when you are trying to be like them. People cluding several CEOs, indicated that they had a trust you when you are genuine and authentic, tremendous desire to become authentic lead- not a replica of someone else. Amgen CEO and ers and wanted to know how. As a result, our president Kevin Sharer, who gained priceless research team set out to answer the question, experience working as Jack Welch’s assistant in “How can people become and remain authen- the 1980s, saw the downside of GE’s cult of per- tic leaders?” We interviewed 125 leaders to sonality in those days. “Everyone wanted to be learn how they developed their leadership abil- like Jack,” he explains. “Leadership has many ities. These interviews constitute the largest in- voices. You need to be who you are, not try to depth study of leadership development ever emulate somebody else.” undertaken. Our interviewees discussed openly OPYRIGHT © 2007 PUBLISHING CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. BUSINESS SCHOOLOPYRIGHT © 2007 HARVARD PUBLISHING CORPORATION. C

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and honestly how they realized their potential hand you a development plan. You need to and candidly shared their life stories, personal take responsibility for developing yourself.” struggles, failures, and triumphs. In the following pages, we draw upon les- The people we talked with ranged in age sons from our interviews to describe how peo- from 23 to 93, with no fewer than 15 per de- ple become authentic leaders. First and most cade. They were chosen based on their reputa- important, they frame their life stories in ways tions for authenticity and effectiveness as that allow them to see themselves not as pas- leaders, as well as our personal knowledge sive observers of their lives but rather as indi- of them. We also solicited recommendations viduals who can develop self-awareness from from other leaders and academics. The result- their experiences. Authentic leaders act on ing group includes women and men from a di- that awareness by practicing their values and verse array of racial, religious, and socioeco- principles, sometimes at substantial risk to nomic backgrounds and nationalities. Half of themselves. They are careful to balance their them are CEOs, and the other half comprises motivations so that they are driven by these a range of profit and nonprofit leaders, midca- inner values as much as by a desire for external reer leaders, and young leaders just starting rewards or recognition. Authentic leaders also on their journeys. keep a strong support team around them, en- After interviewing these individuals, we be- suring that they live integrated, grounded lives. lieve we understand why more than 1,000 stud- ies have not produced a profile of an ideal Learning from Your Life Story leader. Analyzing 3,000 pages of transcripts, The journey to authentic leadership begins our team was startled to see that these people with understanding the story of your life. Your did not identify any universal characteristics, life story provides the context for your experi- traits, skills, or styles that led to their success. ences, and through it, you can find the inspira- Rather, their leadership emerged from their tion to make an impact in the world. As the life stories. Consciously and subconsciously, novelist John Barth once wrote, “The story of they were constantly testing themselves through your life is not your life. It is your story.” In real-world experiences and reframing their life other words, it is your personal narrative that stories to understand who they were at their matters, not the mere facts of your life. Your core. In doing so, they discovered the purpose life narrative is like a permanent recording of their leadership and learned that being au- playing in your head. Over and over, you re- thentic made them more effective. play the events and personal interactions that These findings are extremely encouraging: are important to your life, attempting to make You do not have to be born with specific char- sense of them to find your place in the world. acteristics or traits of a leader. You do not have While the life stories of authentic leaders to wait for a tap on the shoulder. You do not cover the full spectrum of experiences— have to be at the top of your organization. In- including the positive impact of parents, ath- stead, you can discover your potential right letic coaches, teachers, and mentors—many now. As one of our interviewees, Young & leaders reported that their motivation came Bill George, the former chairman and Rubicam chairman and CEO Ann Fudge, said, from a difficult experience in their lives. They CEO of , is a professor of “All of us have the spark of leadership in us, described the transformative effects of the loss management practice at Harvard Busi- whether it is in business, in government, or of a job; personal illness; the untimely death of ness School in Boston. Peter Sims es- as a nonprofit volunteer. The challenge is to a close friend or relative; and feelings of being tablished “Leadership Perspectives,” a understand ourselves well enough to discover excluded, discriminated against, and rejected class on leadership development at the where we can use our leadership gifts to by peers. Rather than seeing themselves as vic- Stanford Graduate School of Business serve others.” tims, though, authentic leaders used these for- in California. Andrew N. McLean is a Discovering your authentic leadership re- mative experiences to give meaning to their research associate at Harvard Business quires a commitment to developing yourself. lives. They reframed these events to rise above School. Diana Mayer is a former Citi- Like musicians and athletes, you must devote their challenges and to discover their passion group executive in New York. This arti- yourself to a lifetime of realizing your poten- to lead. cle was adapted from True North: tial. Most people Kroger CEO David Dillon has Let’s focus now on one leader in particular, Discover Your Authentic Leadership by seen become good leaders were self-taught. chairman and CEO Daniel Vasella, Bill George with Peter Sims (Jossey- Dillon said, “The advice I give to individuals in whose life story was one of the most difficult of Bass, forthcoming in March 2007). our company is not to expect the company to all the people we interviewed. 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from extreme challenges in his youth to reach an individual practitioner. Upon completion of the pinnacle of the global pharmaceutical in- his residency, he applied to become chief phy- dustry, a trajectory that illustrates the trials sician at the University of Zurich; however, the many leaders have to go through on their jour- search committee considered him too young neys to authentic leadership. for the position. Vasella was born in 1953 to a modest fam- Disappointed but not surprised, Vasella de- ily in Fribourg, . His early years cided to use his abilities to increase his impact were filled with medical problems that stoked on medicine. At that time, he had a growing his passion to become a physician. His first fascination with finance and business. He recollections were of a hospital where he was talked with the head of the pharmaceutical di- admitted at age four when he suffered from vision of Sandoz, who offered him the oppor- food poisoning. Falling ill with asthma at age tunity to join the company’s U.S. affiliate. In five, he was sent alone to the mountains of his five years in the United States, Vasella flour- eastern Switzerland for two summers. He ished in the stimulating environment, first as a found the four-month separations from his sales representative and later as a product parents especially difficult because his care- manager, and advanced rapidly through the taker had an alcohol problem and was unre- Sandoz marketing organization. sponsive to his needs. When Sandoz merged with Ciba-Geigy in At age eight, Vasella had tuberculosis, fol- 1996, Vasella was named CEO of the combined lowed by meningitis, and was sent to a sanato- companies, now called Novartis, despite his rium for a year. Lonely and homesick, he suf- young age and limited experience. Once in the fered a great deal that year, as his parents CEO’s role, Vasella blossomed as a leader. He rarely visited him. He still remembers the pain envisioned the opportunity to build a great Analyzing 3,000 pages of and fear when the nurses held him down dur- global health care company that could help ing the lumbar punctures so that he would not people through lifesaving new drugs, such as transcripts, our team was move. One day, a new physician arrived and Gleevec, which has proved to be highly effec- startled to see you do not took time to explain each step of the proce- tive for patients with chronic myeloid leuke- dure. Vasella asked the doctor if he could hold mia. Drawing on the physician role models of have to be born with a nurse’s hand rather than being held down. his youth, he built an entirely new Novartis “The amazing thing is that this time the proce- culture centered on compassion, competence, specific characteristics or dure didn’t hurt,” Vasella recalls. “Afterward, and competition. These moves established No- traits of a leader. the doctor asked me, ‘How was that?’ I reached vartis as a giant in the industry and Vasella as a up and gave him a big hug. These human ges- compassionate leader. Leadership emerges from tures of forgiveness, caring, and compassion Vasella’s experience is just one of dozens your life story. made a deep impression on me and on the provided by authentic leaders who traced their kind of person I wanted to become.” inspiration directly from their life stories. Asked Throughout his early years, Vasella’s life con- what empowered them to lead, these leaders tinued to be unsettled. When he was ten, his consistently replied that they found their 18-year-old sister passed away after suffering strength through transformative experiences. from cancer for two years. Three years later, Those experiences enabled them to under- his father died in surgery. To support the fam- stand the deeper purpose of their leadership. ily, his mother went to work in a distant town and came home only once every three weeks. Knowing Your Authentic Self Left to himself, he and his friends held beer When the 75 members of Stanford Graduate parties and got into frequent fights. This lasted School of Business’s Advisory Council were for three years until he met his first girlfriend, asked to recommend the most important ca- whose affection changed his life. pability for leaders to develop, their answer At 20, Vasella entered medical school, later was nearly unanimous: self-awareness. Yet many graduating with honors. During medical school, leaders, especially those early in their careers, he sought out psychotherapy so he could come are trying so hard to establish themselves in to terms with his early experiences and not feel the world that they leave little time for self- like a victim. Through analysis, he reframed exploration. They strive to achieve success in his life story and realized that he wanted to tangible ways that are recognized in the ex- help a wider range of people than he could as ternal world—money, fame, power, status, or

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a rising stock price. Often their drive enables problem.” Pottruck then made a determined them to be professionally successful for a while, effort to change. As he described it, “I was like but they are unable to sustain that success. As a guy who has had three heart attacks and fi- they age, they may find something is missing nally realizes he has to quit smoking and lose in their lives and realize they are holding back some weight.” from being the person they want to be. Know- These days Pottruck is happily remarried ing their authentic selves requires the courage and listens carefully when his wife offers con- and honesty to open up and examine their ex- structive feedback. He acknowledges that he periences. As they do so, leaders become more falls back on his old habits at times, particu- humane and willing to be vulnerable. larly in high stress situations, but now he has Of all the leaders we interviewed, David developed ways of coping with stress. “I have Pottruck, former CEO of Charles Schwab, had had enough success in life to have that founda- one of the most persistent journeys to self- tion of self-respect, so I can take the criticism awareness. An all-league football player in and not deny it. I have finally learned to toler- high school, Pottruck became MVP of his col- ate my failures and disappointments and not lege team at the University of Pennsylvania. beat myself up.” After completing his MBA at Wharton and a stint with Citigroup, he joined Charles Schwab Practicing Your Values and as head of marketing, moving from New York Principles to San Francisco. An extremely hard worker, The values that form the basis for authentic Pottruck could not understand why his new leadership are derived from your beliefs and colleagues resented the long hours he put in convictions, but you will not know what your and his aggressiveness in pushing for results. “I true values are until they are tested under When the 75 members of thought my accomplishments would speak for pressure. It is relatively easy to list your values themselves,” he said. “It never occurred to me and to live by them when things are going Stanford Graduate that my level of energy would intimidate and well. When your success, your career, or even School of Business’s offend other people, because in my mind I was your life hangs in the balance, you learn what trying to help the company.” is most important, what you are prepared to Advisory Council were Pottruck was shocked when his boss told sacrifice, and what trade-offs you are willing him, “Dave, your colleagues do not trust you.” to make. asked to recommend the As he recalled, “That feedback was like a dag- Leadership principles are values translated most important ger to my heart. I was in denial, as I didn’t into action. Having a solid base of values and see myself as others saw me. I became a light- testing them under fire enables you to develop capability for leaders to ning rod for friction, but I had no idea how self- the principles you will use in leading. For ex- develop, their answer serving I looked to other people. Still, some- ample, a value such as “concern for others” where in my inner core the feedback resonated might be translated into a leadership principle was nearly unanimous: as true.” Pottruck realized that he could not such as “create a work environment where succeed unless he identified and overcame his people are respected for their contributions, self-awareness. blind spots. provided job security, and allowed to fulfill Denial can be the greatest hurdle that lead- their potential.” ers face in becoming self-aware. They all have Consider Jon Huntsman, the founder and egos that need to be stroked, insecurities that chairman of Huntsman Corporation. His moral need to be smoothed, fears that need to be al- values were deeply challenged when he worked layed. Authentic leaders realize that they have for the Nixon administration in 1972, shortly to be willing to listen to feedback—especially before Watergate. After a brief stint in the U.S. the kind they don’t want to hear. It was only Department of Health, Education, and Welfare after his second divorce that Pottruck finally (HEW), he took a job under H.R. Haldeman, was able to acknowledge that he still had large President Nixon’s powerful chief of staff. Hunts- blind spots: “After my second marriage fell man said he found the experience of taking apart, I thought I had a wife-selection prob- orders from Haldeman “very mixed. I wasn’t lem.” Then he worked with a counselor who geared to take orders, irrespective of whether delivered some hard truths: “The good news is they were ethically or morally right.” He ex- you do not have a wife-selection problem; plained, “We had a few clashes, as plenty of the bad news is you have a husband-behavior things that Haldeman wanted to do were ques-

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tionable. An amoral atmosphere permeated like that, as he viewed them as signs of disloy- the White House.” alty. I might as well have been saying farewell. One day, Haldeman directed Huntsman to So be it. I left within the next six months.” help him entrap a California congressman who had been opposing a White House initiative. Balancing Your Extrinsic and The congressman was part owner of a plant Intrinsic Motivations that reportedly employed undocumented Because authentic leaders need to sustain workers. To gather information to embarrass high levels of motivation and keep their lives the congressman, Haldeman told Huntsman to in balance, it is critically important for them to get the plant manager of a company Hunts- understand what drives them. There are two man owned to place some undocumented types of motivations—extrinsic and intrinsic. workers at the congressman’s plant in an un- Although they are reluctant to admit it, many dercover operation. leaders are propelled to achieve by measuring “There are times when we react too quickly their success against the outside world’s pa- and fail to realize immediately what is right rameters. They enjoy the recognition and sta- and wrong,” Huntsman recalled. “This was one tus that come with promotions and financial of those times when I didn’t think it through. I rewards. Intrinsic motivations, on the other knew instinctively it was wrong, but it took a hand, are derived from their sense of the few minutes for the notion to percolate. After meaning of their life. They are closely linked 15 minutes, my inner moral compass made it- to one’s life story and the way one frames it. self noticed and enabled me to recognize this Examples include personal growth, helping wasn’t the right thing to do. Values that had ac- other people develop, taking on social causes, companied me since childhood kicked in. Half- and making a difference in the world. The key way through my conversation with our plant is to find a balance between your desires for manager, I said to him, ‘Let’s not do this. I don’t external validation and the intrinsic motiva- want to play this game. Forget that I called.’” tions that provide fulfillment in your work. Huntsman told Haldeman that he would Many interviewees advised aspiring lead- not use his employees in this way. “Here I was ers to be wary of getting caught up in social, saying no to the second most powerful person peer, or parental expectations. Debra Dunn, in the country. He didn’t appreciate responses who has worked in Silicon Valley for decades as a Hewlett-Packard executive, acknowledged the constant pressures from external sources: “The path of accumulating material posses- sions is clearly laid out. You know how to Your De velopment as an Authentic Leader measure it. If you don’t pursue that path, peo- As you read this article, think about the tions? How do you balance extrinsic ple wonder what is wrong with you. The only basis for your leadership development and intrinsic motivation in your life? way to avoid getting caught up in materialism and the path you need to follow to be- 5. What kind of support team do you is to understand where you find happiness come an authentic leader. Then ask have? How can your support team make and fulfillment.” yourself these questions: you a more authentic leader? How should Moving away from the external validation 1. Which people and experiences in you diversify your team to broaden your of personal achievement is not always easy. your early life had the greatest impact perspective? Achievement-oriented leaders grow so accus- on you? 6. Is your life integrated? Are you able tomed to successive accomplishments through- 2. What tools do you use to become to be the same person in all aspects of out their early years that it takes courage to pur- self-aware? What is your authentic self? your life—personal, work, family, and com- sue their intrinsic motivations. But at some What are the moments when you say to munity? If not, what is holding you back? point, most leaders recognize that they need to yourself, this is the real me? 7. What does being authentic mean address more difficult questions in order to pur- 3. What are your most deeply held in your life? Are you more effective as a sue truly meaningful success. McKinsey’s Alice values? Where did they come from? leader when you behave authentically? Woodwark, who at 29 has already achieved no- Have your values changed significantly Have you ever paid a price for your au- table success, reflected: “My version of achieve- since your childhood? How do your val- thenticity as a leader? Was it worth it? ment was pretty naive, born of things I learned ues inform your actions? 8. What steps can you take today, to- early in life about praise and being valued. But 4. What motivates you extrinsi- morrow, and over the next year to de- if you’re just chasing the rabbit around the course, cally? What are your intrinsic motiva- velop your authentic leadership? you’re not running toward anything meaningful.”

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Intrinsic motivations are congruent with conditional support, they are more likely to ac- your values and are more fulfilling than extrin- cept themselves for who they really are. sic motivations. John Thain, CEO of the New Many relationships grow over time through York Stock Exchange, said, “I am motivated by an expression of shared values and a common doing a really good job at whatever I am doing, purpose. Randy Komisar of venture capital but I prefer to multiply my impact on society firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers said his through a group of people.” Or as Ann Moore, marriage to Hewlett-Packard’s Debra Dunn is chairman and CEO of Time, put it, “I came lasting because it is rooted in similar values. here 25 years ago solely because I loved maga- “Debra and I are very independent but ex- zines and the publishing world.” Moore had a tremely harmonious in terms of our personal dozen job offers after business school but took aspirations, values, and principles. We have a the lowest-paying one with Time because of strong resonance around questions like, ‘What her passion for publishing. is your legacy in this world?’ It is important to be in sync about what we do with our lives.” Building Your Support Team Many leaders have had a mentor who Leaders cannot succeed on their own; even the changed their lives. The best mentoring inter- most outwardly confident executives need actions spark mutual learning, exploration of support and advice. Without strong relation- similar values, and shared enjoyment. If people ships to provide perspective, it is very easy to are only looking for a leg up from their men- lose your way. tors, instead of being interested in their men- Authentic leaders build extraordinary sup- tors’ lives as well, the relationships will not last port teams to help them stay on course. Those for long. It is the two-way nature of the con- teams counsel them in times of uncertainty, nection that sustains it. Denial can be the help them in times of difficulty, and celebrate Personal and professional support groups with them in times of success. After their hard- can take many forms. Piper Jaffray’s Tad Piper greatest hurdle that est days, leaders find comfort in being with is a member of an Alcoholics Anonymous leaders face in becoming people on whom they can rely so they can be group. He noted, “These are not CEOs. They open and vulnerable. During the low points, are just a group of nice, hard-working people self-aware. they cherish the friends who appreciate them who are trying to stay sober, lead good lives, for who they are, not what they are. Authentic and work with each other about being open, leaders find that their support teams provide honest, and vulnerable. We reinforce each affirmation, advice, perspective, and calls for other’s behavior by talking about our chemical course corrections when needed. dependency in a disciplined way as we go How do you go about building your support through the 12 steps. I feel blessed to be sur- team? Most authentic leaders have a multifac- rounded by people who are thinking about eted support structure that includes their those kinds of issues and actually doing some- spouses or significant others, families, mentors, thing, not just talking about them.” close friends, and colleagues. They build their Bill George’s experiences echo Piper’s: In networks over time, as the experiences, shared 1974, he joined a men’s group that formed histories, and openness with people close to after a weekend retreat. More than 30 years them create the trust and confidence they later, the group is still meeting every Wednes- need in times of trial and uncertainty. Leaders day morning. After an opening period of must give as much to their supporters as they catching up on each other’s lives and dealing get from them so that mutually beneficial rela- with any particular difficulty someone may tionships can develop. be facing, one of the group’s eight members It starts with having at least one person in leads a discussion on a topic he has selected. your life with whom you can be completely These discussions are open, probing, and yourself, warts and all, and still be accepted un- often profound. The key to their success is conditionally. Often that person is the only one that people say what they really believe with- who can tell you the honest truth. Most lead- out fear of judgment, criticism, or reprisal. All ers have their closest relationships with their the members consider the group to be one of spouses, although some develop these bonds the most important aspects of their lives, en- with another family member, a close friend, or abling them to clarify their beliefs, values, a trusted mentor. When leaders can rely on un- and understanding of vital issues, as well as

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serving as a source of honest feedback when spending time with their families and close they need it most. friends, authentic leaders get physical exer- cise, engage in spiritual practices, do commu- Integrating Your Life by Staying nity service, and return to the places where Grounded they grew up. All are essential to their effec- Integrating their lives is one of the greatest tiveness as leaders, enabling them to sustain challenges leaders face. To lead a balanced life, their authenticity. you need to bring together all of its constitu- ent elements—work, family, community, and Empowering People to Lead friends—so that you can be the same person in Now that we have discussed the process of dis- each environment. Think of your life as a covering your authentic leadership, let’s look house, with a bedroom for your personal life, a at how authentic leaders empower people in study for your professional life, a family room their organizations to achieve superior long- for your family, and a living room to share term results, which is the bottom line for all with your friends. Can you knock down the leaders. walls between these rooms and be the same Authentic leaders recognize that leadership person in each of them? is not about their success or about getting loyal As John Donahoe, president of eBay Market- subordinates to follow them. They know the places and former worldwide managing direc- key to a successful organization is having em- tor of Bain, stressed, being authentic means powered leaders at all levels, including those maintaining a sense of self no matter where who have no direct reports. They not only in- you are. He warned, “The world can shape you spire those around them, they empower those if you let it. To have a sense of yourself as you individuals to step up and lead. Think of your life as a live, you must make conscious choices. Some- A reputation for building relationships and times the choices are really hard, and you empowering people was instrumental in chair- house. Can you knock make a lot of mistakes.” man and CEO Anne Mulcahy’s stunning turn- down the walls between Authentic leaders have a steady and confi- around of Xerox. When Mulcahy was asked to dent presence. They do not show up as one take the company’s reins from her failed prede- the rooms and be the person one day and another person the next. cessor, Xerox had $18 billion in debt, and all Integration takes discipline, particularly during credit lines were exhausted. With the share same person in each of stressful times when it is easy to become reac- price in free fall, morale was at an all-time low. them? tive and slip back into bad habits. Donahoe To make matters worse, the SEC was investi- feels strongly that integrating his life has en- gating the company’s revenue recognition abled him to become a more effective leader. practices. “There is no nirvana,” he said. “The struggle is Mulcahy’s appointment came as a surprise constant, as the trade-offs don’t get any easier to everyone—including Mulcahy herself. A as you get older.” But for authentic leaders, Xerox veteran, she had worked in field sales personal and professional lives are not a zero- and on the corporate staff for 25 years, but not sum game. As Donahoe said, “I have no doubt in finance, R&D, or manufacturing. How could today that my children have made me a far Mulcahy cope with this crisis when she had more effective leader in the workplace. Having had no financial experience? She brought to a strong personal life has made the difference.” the CEO role the relationships she had built Leading is high-stress work. There is no way over 25 years, an impeccable understanding of to avoid stress when you are responsible for the organization, and, above all, her credibility people, organizations, outcomes, and manag- as an authentic leader. She bled for Xerox, and ing the constant uncertainties of the environ- everyone knew it. Because of that, they were ment. The higher you go, the greater your willing to go the extra mile for her. freedom to control your destiny but also the After her appointment, Mulcahy met per- higher the degree of stress. The question is sonally with the company’s top 100 executives not whether you can avoid stress but how you to ask them if they would stay with the com- can control it to maintain your own sense of pany despite the challenges ahead. “I knew equilibrium. there were people who weren’t supportive of Authentic leaders are constantly aware of me,” she said. “So I confronted a couple of the importance of staying grounded. Besides them and said, ‘This is about the company.’”

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The first two people Mulcahy talked with, both greater challenges. Indeed, superior results of whom ran big operating units, decided to over a sustained period of time is the ulti- leave, but the remaining 98 committed to stay. mate mark of an authentic leader. It may be Throughout the crisis, people in Xerox were possible to drive short-term outcomes with- empowered by Mulcahy to step up and lead in out being authentic, but authentic leadership order to restore the company to its former is the only way we know to create sustainable Superior results over a greatness. In the end, her leadership enabled long-term results. Xerox to avoid bankruptcy as she paid back For authentic leaders, there are special re- sustained period of time $10 billion in debt and restored revenue wards. No individual achievement can equal is the ultimate mark of growth and profitability with a combination of the pleasure of leading a group of people to cost savings and innovative new products. The achieve a worthy goal. When you cross the fin- an authentic leader. stock price tripled as a result. ish line together, all the pain and suffering you • • • may have experienced quickly vanishes. It is re- Like Mulcahy, all leaders have to deliver placed by a deep inner satisfaction that you bottom-line results. By creating a virtuous have empowered others and thus made the circle in which the results reinforce the effec- world a better place. That’s the challenge and tiveness of their leadership, authentic leaders the fulfillment of authentic leadership. are able to sustain those results through good times and bad. Their success enables them to Reprint R0702H attract talented people and align employees’ To order, see the next page activities with shared goals, as they empower or call 800-988-0886 or 617-783-7500 others on their team to lead by taking on or go to www.hbr.org

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