Authenticity and owning your story

I am starting to think that the art of storytelling, specifically the story of our lives, is one of the most important to know, hone, and own.

I don’t mean the kind of stories we tell others to aggrandize ourselves or paint a picture of who we want to seem. It is knowing that our experiences and the story of our lives gets us in touch with our authentic selves - purpose, values. Reading the HBR article Discovering Your Authentic Leadership Self it became clear that knowing who you are is a core tenet of leadership that seems often missed.

This has me reflecting: Which people and experiences in my life have had the greatest impact? What are my most deeply held values? What motivates me intrinsically (vs. extrinsically)?

We can learn myriad leadership skills and competencies that can contribute to our capacity as leaders. But let us not overlook the fundamental need to know, hone and understand our own personal story, which sits at the core of authentic leadership