Why Being Authentic Isn't Enough: The Case For Truthful Leadership

Forbes

23-05-2025

There's a collage by the mixed-media artist Kala Wright that holds an important leadership lesson for executives and teams.
In Daddy's Home, Wright depicts a scene that is both intimate and exuberant - a father returning from a business trip, instantly engulfed in the joy of his children. It strikes such a powerful chord because it captures a moment we instantly recognize—no explanation needed. It's love, the joy of reunion, the feeling of being missed and mattering. The image taps into something deeply human and universally understood, which is exactly why it resonates so deeply.
Authentic Leadership vs. Truthful Leadership: What's the Difference?
The Edelman Trust Barometer highlights the need for trust and the challenges in gaining and keeping it inside organizations today in its annual global survey. In response, many companies have doubled down on 'authenticity' as the solution: encouraging leaders to be more vulnerable, more real, more human. It's well-intentioned—but often insufficient.
The problem with authentic leadership? Ultimately, it's about you. It's rooted in self-awareness, values, and bringing your 'whole self' to work. It's personal, internal, and reflective. Truthful Leadership is about them. It's rooted in resonance, shared experience, and delivering messages that match what employees are actually living and facing.
Why Authentic Leadership Can Fall Flat
There's a fine line between authenticity and truthfulness, and it's why well-intentioned messages sometimes fall flat: The leader may be sharing their truth, but not the truth of the moment. For example: Consider the CEO who shares a personal story about overcoming adversity to inspire perseverance—just days after a painful round of layoffs or restructuring. Or, when a well-meaning leader says, 'I know this must be frustrating,' during a period of major budget cuts. But the team isn't frustrated—they're burnt out, anxious, or angry.
One takeaway? Good leaders understand that employees don't engage with messages that feel disconnected from their reality. Messages from leaders resonate when they line up with what employees see and experience.
Truthfulness versus Authenticity as an Executive Leadership Skill
Too often, leaders step into roles where morale may be low and skepticism is baked in. They're not starting at zero—they're starting with a trust deficit. And in those moments, authenticity alone isn't enough. Executives who lead with truth—and do it well—communicate in a way that feels like Daddy's Home: It's emotionally precise and reflects something the audience already knows, deep down.
Given that, consider these questions to ask before you communicate: Authentic or Truthful?
Like Daddy's Home, the most powerful messages don't need explaining. They transcend demographics and speak to something deeply human. If your message requires too much framing to land, it may not yet be truthful enough.
The ROI of Truthful Leadership over Authentic Leadership
You know if you're building a culture of truth by what happens next. In a company grounded in truth, you see alignment, action, and real performance. In a culture that prioritizes authenticity, you may hear great stories and see polished messaging—but the trust needle stays stuck. Authenticity may earn applause, but truth earns momentum and action. And in the end, that's what sets high-trust, high-performing organizations apart.