Authenticity Is Messy: Why Being Yourself Is the Ultimate Leadership Power

authenticity-in-leadership

Let me be straight with you from the start: I swear sometimes. Not loads. Not for effect. But if you’re from Wishaw (Scotland), like I am, it slips out when you’re passionate, frustrated, or fired up. So yes, I’ve dropped the occasional F-bomb in a meeting. And no, I’ve never regretted it.

Because here’s the truth: authenticity is messy.

It doesn’t fit into neat HR-approved checklists. It’s not polished, perfect, or PR-friendly. And thank God for that.

At The Power Within Training, one of our core values is “Be Authentic.” Not just as a marketing line. Not as a trendy hashtag. But because authenticity in leadership is what’s allowed us to build something real, and something that lasts.

 

Why Authenticity in Leadership Matters

Before I ever became an MD, I was a laddie with ADHD, dyslexia, and a big chip on my shoulder about school. I struggled to sit still. I hated being told what to do. And I felt like I was always playing catch-up.

Now, in business, those same traits have become my superpowers. I think fast, I spot patterns others don’t, I bring energy and passion that can’t be faked. And I can walk into a room and feel the pulse of a team within minutes.

But only because I stopped trying to hide who I was.

Leadership, the way I see it, isn’t about being impressive. It’s about being real. People don’t follow perfect leaders. They follow human ones. Flawed. Honest. Willing to admit when they don’t know something. And brave enough to be themselves, even when it’s uncomfortable.

 

Why We Hire (and Fire) Based on It

At The Power Within, we don’t hire based on a shiny CV. In fact, some of the best people I’ve ever worked with had non-traditional backgrounds. What we look for is simple: Authenticity. Hunger. Heart. Alignment.

We’ve built a team that’s as varied as it is talented. Creatives, strategists, coaches, marketers. Neurodivergent, neurotypical, from all walks of life. What we have in common? We show up as ourselves. We tell the truth. And we do the work.

And yes, that also means sometimes we have to let people go. Not because they’re bad at the job. But because if they’re faking it, if they’re pretending to be someone they’re not, it catches up with them. It catches up with all of us.

I’d rather have someone who asks honest questions than someone who gives polished answers and quietly burns out.

Because people follow authenticity in leadership over perfection.

 

Being Yourself as a Leader

You want to know what being a leader really means to me? It means owning your quirks. Not apologising for your accent. Not pretending you’re someone different on LinkedIn than you are at home. It means showing your team that it’s okay to have off days, to laugh during serious meetings, to say, “I don’t know” and actually mean it.

For me, it also means being open about my ADHD and dyslexia. I used to think it made me less of a professional. Now, I realise it’s why I can connect with people who feel like outsiders. It’s why I can spot when someone’s trying to hide a part of themselves.

I’m not interested in buttoned-up leadership. I’m interested in honest conversations. In people who’ve failed, learned, got back up, and kept going.

 

The Business You Build Reflects the Leader You Are

This business, The Power Within Training, wasn’t built in a boardroom. It was built around kitchen tables. In late-night chats. In moments where we questioned everything.

It was built by being honest about what we didn’t know. By asking for help. By hiring people who weren’t copies of us but complements to us. And let me tell you—it works.

Because when your culture is built on authenticity, people stick around. They care, they take ownership, they bring their whole selves to the work, and that’s when the magic happens.

I’ve seen teams who’ve gone from burned out to buzzing. I’ve watched leaders transform when they finally give themselves permission to be human. And I’ve watched people grow, not because we told them how to lead, but because we helped them remember who they are.

That’s what authenticity in leadership does.

 

Drop the Act

So, if you’re reading this wondering if you should “tone it down,” “dial it back,” or “act more professional” to be taken seriously as a leader — don’t.

Drop the act.

Because the people you’re leading don’t need a robot. They need someone who’s been there. Someone who’s messed up, learned the lesson, and kept going. Someone who tells the truth.

At The Power Within Training, we’ve helped thousands of leaders and teams do just that. We give people the tools we wish we’d had. And we do it in a way that’s real, raw, and relatable.

So yeah, authenticity is messy. But it’s also magnetic.

And if that sounds like the kind of leader you want to be, you’re our kind of people.

 

James Fleming
The Power Within Training
The Motivational Intelligence Company
james@tpwtd.com

james-fleming