A call for more Authenticity.
Photo: Lise Klaveness, Norwegian Football Association
When I’m occasionally asked to do a presentation, I always try to start by demonstrating what Trust looks like today.
Ever since I wrote my master thesis on how trust affects team efficiency; I’ve become somewhat of a trust-nerd. Always looking for updates and signals, and always hoping for signals and trends to point in the right direction.
The sad picture right now though, is that trust in authorities, media and NGOs is declining all over the world. More frequently we refuse to believe messages even when they come from traditionally highly trusted news providers.
We’ve become skeptics to institutions like EU, WHO and UN, and our critical views on authorities and politicians seem to not just increase, but pivot. This is even happening here in Norway, where we’re blessed with possibly the best welfare system and among the best technical infrastructures in the world.
Our systems and models have evolved through decades of high Trust in capable politicians and authorities. Now times are changing. I don’t believe anyone can pinpoint the exact reasons for why all this seems to explode right now - the picture is complex, keep shifting and we too are part of an increasingly unfamiliar, chaotic and, to many, very scary and unstable future.
So perhaps it’s not so hard to understand then, that our mental health is becoming more and more fragile.
Our children are part of a generation occasionally referred to as “snowflakes”. Woke and cancel culture started out as something good but has escalated into something that appears to be more and more ridiculous.
Why would we want to rewrite the fantastic stories from brilliant authors like Astrid Lindgren, Thorbjørn Egner and Roald Dahl, when we agree that some of the terms they used back then would not be okay to write today?
We must not forget the context they were written in. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” We must learn from understanding where we come from, to make sure we don’t make the same mistakes again. That will be impossible if we start erasing history. Erasing anything will never make historical mistakes go away.
Gen Z is the most beautiful, caring, and intelligent generation of children and young adults.
When they are now entering workplaces, becoming buyers and consumers they are pushing us towards a better world. They demand we take important stands on issues that mean a lot to society, that we produce our products with a greater conscience, that we use our power to take care of our planet and that we work towards equality and better life for all. Their demand will save humanity and our planet.
But right now, more than ever, we and Gen Z need help to become happier and more capable of leading healthy lives where we thrive and feel included. We need to build more relationships and to connect with each other. Strong relationships has proven to be, by far, the most important factor for a happy and good life.
Enter Authenticity.
Authenticity is showing people your true self. Bringing your whole self to work. Being open about hard stuff too. We create belonging when we share about who we are and what we stand for. We are all different and unique, there isn’t a single person in whole wide world who is identical to me, or you. But if we share our stories, we create opportunities to connect, to feel part of something more. If I tell you about my struggles and my wins, I’m sure there are things I tell that feel relatable to you.
I love Chris Martin in Coldplay. I loved him before Covid, but when I opened facebook the first morning of a closed-down Covid-world, I found him sharing his thoughts which were totally relatable to me. As naive as that may sound today, I felt so connected to him and to the rest of our global community. We all shared the same uncertainty about what was ahead of us, and about how our lives would most likely change and never be the same again.
Lise Klaveness is the general secretary of the Norwegian Football Association. She made global headline news last year when she made a powerful talk and drew attention to the human rights issues going on in Quatar, including the treatment of migrant workers and restrictions on freedom of expression.
She didn’t have to use her voice to address these issues. It must have taken a lot of courage, and I’m sure her life would have been so much easier if she didn’t. But she acted on her personal principles, and addressed something that has the power to accelerate equality globally.
By being open, transparent and in alignment with our authentic and true selves, we build Trust.
Taking on leadership, developing brands, becoming parents, experts and activists all come with a responsibility to use this position to contribute to something better. The world needs authenticity now, we all struggle with too much chaos, too much fake and too much wrong-doings. Working towards becoming an Authentic Influencer is to contribute to a more inclusive, connected, and meaningful life not just on a personal level, but also societally.
Creating safe and inclusive communities has always been what women do, whether it’s been at home, at work or in society. If we mobilize more female Authentic Influence we know we will reach equality and warmer communities so much faster.
Right now, our world is truly desperate for more Trust and Authentic Influence. You can start building influence from wherever you are right now. So many of us are here to support you and cheer you on.