The leadership advice that drains you most? “Stay strong, show no weakness, maintain control at all costs.”
Brené Brown’s research reveals the opposite: leaders who can be authentic about challenges, admit when they don’t have all the answers, and ask for support actually perform better under pressure—and maintain more energy while doing it.
The Performance Mask Problem
Most professionals believe they need to project unwavering confidence during challenging periods. This creates what I call “performance energy debt”—the exhaustion that comes from constantly managing how others see you instead of focusing on actual results.
Brown’s vulnerability research shows that authentic leadership isn’t about sharing every struggle—it’s about being real about the human elements of leadership while maintaining professional effectiveness.
The Science of Authentic Energy
When you pretend everything is fine when it’s not, your brain works overtime to maintain the facade. This cognitive load depletes the mental resources you need for actual problem-solving and decision-making.
Energy comes from alignment between your internal experience and external expression. When these match, you stop wasting energy on image management and can direct it toward meaningful work.
The Momentum Mapping Connection
My LEAP Forward Momentum Mapping Assessment includes an authenticity evaluation that reveals:
- Where you might be exhausting yourself through “professional performance
- How perfectionism could be draining energy that should go toward results
- Which relationships would improve with more authentic communication
- What boundaries would help you maintain energy for what matters most
Vulnerability as an Energy Management Strategy
Authentic boundary-setting: “I need to leave by 6 PM to maintain the energy level this project deserves” vs. pretending you can work endless hours
Honest capacity communication: “I can do A and B well, or A, B, and C adequately—which serves our goals better?” vs. saying yes to everything and delivering mediocre results
Real-time adjustment requests: “This approach isn’t working as well as I hoped—let’s try X instead” vs. continuing with a failing strategy to avoid admitting the mistake
The Integration Assessment
The strongest leaders I coach score high in both authenticity and resilience. They’ve learned that being real about challenges doesn’t make them weak—it makes them more effective at solving problems and more sustainable in their approach.
Your Q4 Authenticity Practice
- Notice where you’re performing vs. being authentic. What energy would be freed up if you stopped managing others’ perceptions?
- Practice one authentic conversation per day—whether that’s honest feedback, a genuine request for help, or setting a real boundary.
- Identify one area where perfectionism is costing more energy than it’s adding value. Experiment with “good enough” in that area.
- Build support systems with people who can handle your authentic challenges and celebrate your real successes.
The Year-End Integration
The leaders who finish this year strong and start next year energized have mastered this balance: high standards for results, realistic expectations for the process, and authentic communication throughout.
Action Step: Take the LEAP Forward Momentum Mapping Assessment to see how authenticity, energy management, decision-making, and momentum-building work together in your leadership approach.
Your assessment results will show you exactly where to focus your energy for maximum impact through year-end—and help you start next year from a position of strength rather than exhaustion.
Ready to finish strong? The path forward isn’t about working harder—it’s about working more strategically, authentically, and sustainably.