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Authentic Leadership

Core Competency

Definition

Authentic Leadership is a driver of personal and interpersonal conduct. It means acting with integrity in interpersonal and organizational practices, and treating everyone with respect regardless of their background and which group they represent. Authentic Leaders also demonstrate behaviours that model and support the GNWT Public Service’s vision and goals to ensure its success, and build the same level of support and productivity in others. This competency guides all of our interpersonal interactions with colleagues, direct reports, staff, stakeholders, partners, members and representatives of external government agencies, and the citizens of the Northwest Territories.

Why is it Important?

The GNWT Public Service serves citizens of the Northwest Territories who have a right to an ethical public service. Acting with integrity means being honest with others and in our work, and behaving consistently with the GNWT vision, principles, and with the values that are important to the people of our Territory. Authentic Leadership helps ensure that our decisions and transactions are transparent and fair, and we hold ourselves, our staff, and our organizations accountable for their respective actions. The GNWT Public Service, associated stakeholders, and citizens of the Northwest Territories are made up of cultures as diverse as the physical landscape itself. This means greater efforts have to be made when listening, understanding, and responding to others. It also means being more aware and sensitive to cultural differences, not making assumptions about others, and taking the time to learn about other people and other groups in order to build respectful and diverse workplaces.

Behavioural Scales

1. Takes responsibility for own behaviour

  • Acts consistently in the workplace according to basic values of honesty and integrity.
  • Demonstrates and uses courteous and respectful language when communicating.
  • Maintains open and consistent communication with others.
  • Accepts that other people’s points of view are reasonable or valid.
  • Acknowledges when expectations about own work, performance or interpersonal interactions are not met.
  • Exhibits the courage to speak up and intervene as appropriate.
  • Behaves consistently with GNWT values and organizational practices.
  • Makes a conscious effort to ensure respectful, open, honest, and professional working interactions with colleagues and others within GNWT.
  • Understands, considers and respects the impact that individual differences may have before taking action; recognizes that own interpretation may not be shared by others.

2. Contributes to a positive work environment

  • Values diversity of thinking and perspectives in others.
  • Reflects back what was heard to check understanding. Asks clarifying questions about others' expressed interests and concerns.
  • Consults with others, rather than making assumptions, to support positive interactions.
  • Explains reasoning behind a decision.
  • Identifies underlying causes for success or lack of success which may or may not involve self, and takes action to ensure future success.
  • Encourages employee input, respects others’ ideas, and responds quickly to questions. Builds consensus when needed.
  • In a leadership role, lets people affected by a decision know what is happening, even if they are not required to share such information.
  • Provides a broader context on projects or initiatives, and explains the connection to the greater goal.
  • Seeks to understand colleagues and team members under his/her leadership.

3. Creates a positive team environment

  • Treats members of all groups equally and with respect. Believes that including different groups is valuable.
  • Manages meetings by setting the agenda, objectives, controlling time, and making assignments, etc.
  • Promotes team morale and builds commitment to reach desired results.
  • Takes specific actions with the intent of enabling the team to function optimally.
  • Recognizes that prejudices and systemic barriers may exist within the current environment.
  • Shows awareness and recognition of one’s own limits and vulnerabilities and does something to compensate.
  • Recognizes and avoids situations that may lead to a conflict of interest.
  • Recognizes individual and team performance.

4. Builds effective and productive teams

  • Sets a good example by modeling desired behaviour.
  • Gets others’ input for purposes of promoting the effectiveness of the group or process.
  • Builds team spirit for purposes of promoting the effectiveness of the group or process.
  • Provides or secures needed support and development for both the individuals and the leadership team as a group.
  • Recognizes feelings in others and shows interest in their background, interests, and experiences, and uses that information to give appropriate and thoughtful responses.
  • Monitors and evaluates own beliefs and behaviours with regard to prejudices and personal biases. Works hard to ensure that these do not impact actions or decisions.
  • Creates and sustains diversity in own team. Generates collaboration among the most diverse groups of people.
  • Takes accountability for own performance. Will admit errors and misattributions and seek to resolve these.

5. Promotes a positive and productive environment within department

  • Sets an example by modelling desired behaviour in relation to the vision and goals.
  • Secures group members’ commitment regarding vision, goals and policies.
  • Makes inferences about others' perspectives and how best to approach them. Displays an in-depth understanding of the ongoing reasons for an individual’s behaviour or responses.
  • Adapts own leadership practices to encourage diversity, prevents intolerance, and ensures that members of different demographic groups are heard.
  • Openly opposes and seeks to resolve unequal treatment in a resolute manner.
  • Acts on values when it is not easy to do so (e.g., will openly admit having made a mistake or will speak out when it may hurt a trusted relationship).
  • Challenges powerful others when appropriate.

6. Builds a positive and productive workplace environment across GNWT

  • Clearly and consistently communicates a compelling vision and priorities consistent with the GNWT.
  • Generates excitement, enthusiasm and inspires commitment to the GNWT vision and goals.
  • Actively elicits concerns and perspectives from others, tests understanding, and reflects back interest in others’ views and feelings.
  • Acts on understanding of the other's perspective in role-appropriate ways, neither over-identifying with the individual nor failing to take into account the others' concerns.
  • Makes systemic changes to break down barriers between different groups.
  • Acts on values where significant cost of risk is associated with doing so (e.g., will disclosure drawbacks and advantages when seeking agreement).
  • Personally behaves and ensures that others behave in a way that is compliant with appropriate regulations and the values of Northerners.