Tony Martignetti

“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It's about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen." – Brene Brown

Authenticity in the workplace is often hailed as a key to effective leadership and harmonious team dynamics. It's seen as the golden ticket to building trust, fostering open communication, and creating an inclusive environment. However, there's a less discussed side to this narrative: the risk of overdoing authenticity. Yes, you can overdose on authenticity, and the consequences can be just as problematic as its absence.

At its core, authenticity is about being genuine, honest, and true to your values and beliefs. In a professional setting, it translates to leaders and employees who bring their whole selves to work without the facade of a workplace persona. Authentic individuals are consistent in their actions and words, both in and out of the office. This transparency fosters trust and reliability, essential components of strong leadership and team cohesion.

While authenticity is desirable, an overdose can lead to several unintended consequences. Unfiltered honesty, for instance, can sometimes come off as tactlessness or insensitivity. Leaders who pride themselves on being brutally honest may unintentionally demoralize their team. Similarly, being overly transparent about one's personal life or emotions can blur professional boundaries, leading to discomfort or misinterpretations among colleagues.

Another risk is the potential for authenticity to morph into intractability. When leaders or employees become too entrenched in their ways under the guise of “being true to themselves,” it can stifle adaptability and openness to new ideas or constructive feedback.

Striking the Right Balance:

Contextual Authenticity: Adapt your level of openness to the situation. Not all scenarios require full disclosure of your thoughts or personal life. It’s about finding the right degree of authenticity that suits the professional context.

Emotional Intelligence: Pair authenticity with emotional intelligence. Being aware of how your words and actions affect others is crucial. It’s about being honest but also kind, empathetic, and considerate.

Constructive Honesty: When offering feedback or opinions, do so constructively. It’s possible to be honest and direct without being hurtful or offensive. Frame your feedback in a way that is helpful and uplifting rather than just blunt.

Professional Boundaries: Maintain a clear line between personal and professional life. Sharing personal experiences or challenges can humanize leaders and create relatability, but it’s important to avoid oversharing or burdening employees with personal issues.

Flexibility and Adaptability: Authenticity shouldn’t be an excuse to resist change or feedback. True authenticity involves growth and adaptability, recognizing that one’s core values can still align with new approaches or ideas.

Authenticity is undoubtedly a valuable trait in the workplace, but like all good things, it requires moderation. The key is not to abandon authenticity but to practice it with mindfulness and sensitivity. Balancing authenticity with professionalism, emotional intelligence, and adaptability ensures that it remains a strength, not a liability, in building a successful and harmonious workplace.

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less." – C.S. Lewis

To prepare our teams for the future, we need to start by admitting that we don't have all the answers. For some leaders, this might seem counter-intuitive. Why would someone follow me if I don’t know the answers? How can they trust me if I am not 100% confident in the plan? But the opposite is true.

I have been working with a CEO at an immuno-oncology therapeutics company. The company’s clinical development pipeline was presenting a big challenge. There were many potential directions to move forward, but the company was exhausting its funding options and had to place a bet on one indication. She felt pressure to decide on the correct path and didn’t want to make the wrong choice or disappoint the team. But, when she approached the challenge with humility and courage, she collaborated with the team to decide on the best option.

Taking ownership and being honest with your team is at the center of most leadership challenges. Your employees respect and believe in you when you take ownership of your decisions and stick to your word. It takes a lot of courage to be this way, but your impact will be powerful. When you stand up and face the truth instead of shifting blame or sweeping things under the rug, you are also modeling an example for others to show up this way. You also want the leaders on your team to own their mistakes and realize that it is okay to be wrong – what you do with that realization is essential.

One of the most well-known examples of authentic leadership is Bill George, Medtronic's former chairman and CEO. He wrote the book Authentic Leadership about his time leading Medtronic during a challenging period of its evolution. According to George, the five traits of an authentic leader are:

• Pursuing their purpose with passion

• Practicing solid values

• Leading with their hearts as well as their heads

• Establishing connected relationships

• Demonstrating self-discipline

These are compelling traits that are the foundation of an effective leader. However, one thing that these traits all have in common is that they all require a high level of humility and courage. Embracing these qualities not only fortifies us against the tides of change but also inspires those we lead to join us in the journey toward authenticity and shared success. Leaders who stand firm with humility and bravery in their convictions leave indelible marks on their teams and organizations. So, how will you ground yourself in humility to cultivate courage in your leadership today?

Discomfort is something that most of us try to avoid at all costs. Whether it's physical discomfort, emotional pain, or the discomfort that comes with stepping outside our comfort zone, we often do everything we can to stay in our safe and familiar spaces. However, it's important to remember that discomfort can be a gateway to fulfillment and growth and that some of the most rewarding experiences in life come from pushing ourselves beyond our limits.

Here are some examples of how discomfort can lead to fulfillment:

Pushing your physical limits: Whether it's through exercise, adventure sports, or other physical activities, pushing your body beyond its limits can be incredibly uncomfortable. However, the sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that comes from achieving a physical goal can be truly fulfilling. For example, training for a marathon may be uncomfortable and challenging, but crossing the finish line can be a life-changing experience.

Facing your fears: Fear is one of the most uncomfortable emotions we can experience, but facing our fears head-on can be incredibly rewarding. Whether it's public speaking, skydiving, or confronting a difficult conversation, stepping outside our comfort zone and facing our fears can give us a sense of empowerment and self-confidence that is hard to come by any other way.

Challenging your beliefs: We all have deeply ingrained beliefs and assumptions about the world around us, and challenging those beliefs can be uncomfortable and disorienting. However, exploring new ideas and perspectives can broaden our horizons and help us see the world in a new light. For example, traveling to a new country and immersing oneself in a different culture can be uncomfortable and challenging, but it can also be incredibly eye-opening and fulfilling.

Embracing vulnerability: Vulnerability is uncomfortable because it involves exposing ourselves to the possibility of rejection or failure. However, it's also the gateway to deep connections and relationships. Sharing our true selves with others, even if it feels uncomfortable or risky, can lead to meaningful and fulfilling connections.

So, the next time you feel uncomfortable or anxious, try to embrace it as an opportunity for growth and fulfillment. You might just be surprised at what you find on the other side.

The human mind is a complex and powerful tool that is heavily influenced by the environment in which it operates. Our set and setting, or the physical and social environment that surrounds us, can have a significant impact on our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This phenomenon has been studied extensively in psychology and has also been explored in various forms of media, including the film industry.

One of the most significant ways in which our set and setting can affect us is by shaping our mindset. Our mindset is the collection of beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that we hold about ourselves, others, and the world around us. These beliefs can be positive or negative and can significantly impact our ability to achieve our goals and handle life's challenges.

For example, imagine a person who grows up in a supportive and encouraging environment where they are constantly praised for their achievements. This person is likely to develop a growth mindset, where they believe that their abilities and intelligence can be developed over time with effort and perseverance. On the other hand, imagine a person who grows up in a critical and unsupportive environment where they are constantly told that they are not good enough. This person is likely to develop a fixed mindset, where they believe that their abilities and intelligence are predetermined and cannot be changed.

The film industry has explored the impact of set and setting on mindset in various ways. Do you remember the movie Good Will Hunting? In Good Will Hunting, a young man from a working-class background (played by Matt Damon) is a mathematical genius, yet despite his intelligence, he struggles with self-doubt and a lack of confidence due to his upbringing and his social setting. Through therapy and his friend's encouragement, he can overcome these challenges and develop a growth mindset, allowing him to achieve his full potential.

In addition to impacting our mindset, set and setting can also affect our behavior. Studies have shown that environmental cues can trigger specific behaviors, such as smoking or overeating. For example, a person who associates smoking with socializing may be more likely to smoke when in a social setting. Similarly, a person who associates eating with stress relief may be more likely to overeat when feeling stressed.

The film industry has also explored the impact of setting and setting on behavior in various ways. Another classic example is the movie The Breakfast Club, which tells the story of a group of high school students from different social backgrounds who are forced to spend a Saturday together in detention. Throughout the day, they learn about each other's struggles and eventually form a bond. The movie highlights how social settings can impact behavior, as the students' initial stereotypes and prejudices toward each other give way to empathy and understanding.

Our set and setting can significantly impact our mindset and behavior. It is important to be mindful of the environments in which we operate and to strive to create supportive and positive settings that allow us to thrive. The film industry has provided numerous examples of how set and setting can impact us, reminding us of the importance of paying attention to our surroundings and working to create environments that foster growth and positive change.

Imagine for a moment that you had to pick one thing of significant meaning to get permanently tattooed on your body; what would it be? Some of you reading this message already have tattoos on your body that carry significant meaning. I have a few myself, but it is the upcoming one I want to tell you about.

There is an incredible artist who creates these ornately designed boxes that are displayed in a few museums around the world. They hang from the ceiling, perfectly balanced, above the floor and below the ceiling of a room. There is a light inside the box, and everything is designed, measured, and engineered so that every surface of the room is covered in the most exquisite display of shadows and light you have ever seen. It is truly extraordinary.

I love this art because it represents how when the light within each of us shines outward, it creates a display of shadows and light that are always unique and brilliant in their own way.

That is what it is to be human, and that is what carries so much meaning for me. I see that in myself. I see it in the clients I work with, and I see it in the beauty of humanity itself.

I will be getting this as a tattoo within the next few months because, for me, it represents an aspect of who I am and what my life is devoted to. Helping leaders illuminate their path forward by sparking their light within and using the light and shadows to create their unique self-expression that becomes their path to success.

As Walt Whitman said in his poem, "Song of Myself," I am large; I contain multitudes. We all do, and there is space for all of you who you are to play, create, and bring your best self forward. And like anything worth learning, there is an art to it. Those who do not learn the art can feel quite literally trapped in a box, while those who do go on to create incredible things. If you would like to get a sam