I’ve got a bone to pick with the word authenticity. Or more accurately, with what it’s come to mean in certain spaces. Every time I see someone post about it on LinkedIn, I feel my shoulders tense up. The term’s been flattened into something like, “Just say whatever’s on your mind, whenever you feel it.” That version of authenticity? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.
Look, toddlers are authentic all the time. What you see is what you get. But we also don’t put toddlers in charge of things.
So instead, let’s define authenticity in a way that works in the real world—especially the working world—and that inherently calls for some accountability.
Speaking and acting in alignment with who you hold yourself out to be.
That phrase—“who I hold myself out to be”—has teeth. It includes both what I value and how I feel. It creates space for me to share what’s really going on without losing sight of what I’m committed to. It keeps me honest and in motion.
So, why does this kind of authenticity actually matter in leadership and at work?
For starters, people don’t want leaders who are perfect. They want leaders who are real, grounded, and clearly walking their talk. Not flawless, but intentional. Someone who’s maybe a few steps ahead on the path, but still relatable.
Historically, “professionalism” has meant putting on a mask. Show up, perform, don’t rock the boat. But that kind of culture comes at a cost. In 2025, we’ve mostly agreed that inviting people’s whole selves to work is good for morale and well-being. But let’s be real—that idea still gets dismissed as soft, even though it’s anything but.
In fact, in high-stakes environments like hospitals or airline cockpits, authentic communication literally saves lives. The problem? Hierarchies often prevent people from speaking up. If a nurse or a co-pilot doesn’t feel empowered to voice concern, things can go sideways—fast.
Sure, you can implement systems and checklists (and you should—The Checklist Manifesto has some great examples). But if the culture doesn’t actively encourage authenticity, those systems won’t get used the way they’re meant to. That’s part of why “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Here’s the thing: You can’t have real accountability without authenticity. If people don’t feel safe owning their mistakes, raising concerns, or asking questions, there’s no path to growth. And without growth, there’s no true commitment to the vision. You’re left with surface-level compliance. Nothing more.
If this sounds a little too good to be true—like a culture where people are honest, accountable, human and high-performing—it’s probably because it’s still very rare.
Most organizations haven’t built this yet. Why? Because it takes emotional maturity at scale. It takes leaders who can hold space for both their own messy human experience and the responsibility of performance, deadlines, deliverables, and results. That’s a big ask.
But the leaders who are committed to building cultures like this—where authenticity and accountability walk hand in hand—are creating extraordinary things. Teams that innovate faster. Cultures with higher trust and lower turnover. Companies where people actually want to stay.
One more hard truth: authenticity is often punished, directly or indirectly. People get left out of conversations. Labeled “difficult.” Told to be less emotional. Passed over for promotions because they voiced discomfort or challenged a norm. That’s why this work requires courage—and a real commitment to doing things differently.
So I’ll leave you with this:
Where does your culture invite authenticity—and where does it punish it?
