In the membership organisation world, people need to feel like the ones leading them are being their own authentic selves. And, as the business world focusses on how people feel at work, the membership organisation community could be well poised to lead the charge.
Today, more and more industry leaders are seeing value in authenticity. This can be defined as an awareness of who you are, what you stand for and expressing yourself honestly and consistently.
A recent study by Accenture on organisational culture which polled over 6000 workers, indicated that “leaders generally overestimate the connectedness of their people by 2x”, with only 1 in 4 workers reporting that they felt their leaders were responsive to their needs and communicated regularly.
CEO of Accenture North America, Jimmy Etheredge, says “Authenticity can’t be faked, and when you’re really listening – and treating people how you would like to be treated – people pick up on that. It builds trust and invites everyone to feel included and comfortable speaking their minds. It all boils down to something pretty simple; make caring your calling card.”
Authentic leaders find ways to convey their genuine intentions through words and actions. They use transparency and honesty to build trust among peers, and, eventually, the membership base. They keep an open mind that allows them to receive ideas or information without being judgemental. They also do not solely focus on the short-term success of the organisation but keep an eye on the long-term sustainability and development for the members.
Gaining trust and influencing other members of the Board, and by extension the community, to mobilise around a mission is a key element of effective leadership. Being able to inspire people to put their trust in someone or support a novel solution when challenges arise is made all the easier when everyone is being their authentic selves.
Membership leaders should actively create space for others to feel comfortable being ‘themselves’. A space that allows the processing of different viewpoints before making measured decisions and being clear about the motivation behind them. The organisation should be growing a thriving culture by nurturing cultural norms which prioritise purpose, allow vulnerability – which leads inherently to shared trust – and most importantly, leading with empathy, trustworthiness, compassion, and transparency.
Ultimately, authenticity is a leadership skill like any other, and skills can always be developed to ensure you are able to lead your membership as well as they deserve, it’s critical you remain focused on demonstrating authenticity whenever possible.
You can find more information on a wide range of related topics in our other blogs, including the secrets to effective member retention, here.
