We’ve all heard the advice: “Fake it ’til you make it.”

It shows up everywhere—from 1980s catchphrases like “I’m not a doctor, but I played one on TV” to today’s Instagram‑ready personal brands and sitcom‑inspired quips like “No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.”

And to be fair, nobody is ever 100% “ready” when they step into a leadership role. Confidence in yourself is essential—you need the courage to step up before you’ve mastered every skill. But confidence is not the same as competence. Real leadership capability is earned through hard work, reflection, and intentional development over time.

A 2024 study found that one in five Gen Z and millennial young adults believe “fake it ’til you make it” is a viable career strategy. But when it comes to leadership, this mindset has limits. You can project confidence for a while, but if you lack a clear sense of purpose and principles, people will notice. And they’ll decide whether to follow you—or wait you out.

The Case for Authentic Leadership

Bill George, former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic, has written two best-selling books on the subject—Authentic Leadership and True North. He defines authentic leaders as:

“People of the highest integrity, committed to building enduring organizations … who have a deep sense of purpose and are true to their core values who have the courage to build their companies to meet the needs of all their stakeholders, and who recognize the importance of their service to society.”

It’s a powerful reminder that leadership is about more than a title or skill set. It’s about who you are, what you believe, and how consistently you act on those beliefs—especially when the stakes are high.

My First Lesson in Authentic Leadership

On my first day working for an eventual mentor, John Pestka, he handed me a three‑inch‑thick stack of articles, letters, and book excerpts.

“When you finish reading this,” he said, “you’ll have a pretty good idea of what I stand for.” Then, with his trademark bluntness, he added:

“And by the way—you can’t just make these your own. These are my principles. You’re too young and you don’t know sh^+ yet.”

His point landed hard. John had accumulated those articles throughout his career and felt that they captured, and helped form, his leadership philosophy. He told me that in order to evolve as a leader, I had to do the hard work to figure out my own.

Over time, I came to see what he meant: leadership is a series of defining moments – choosing between “right and right”. Choosing between “right” and “wrong,” is pretty easy, but choosing between “right” and “right” requires a clear set of principles that will help establish your organizational culture. Without a set of core values to guide your decisions you’ll hesitate, make inconsistent calls, and leave your organization rudderless. That uncertainty erodes trust, morale, and performance. The lack of core values will undermine your ability to lead.

Leadership is not a Popularity Contest

If you’re simply acting the part, your team will see through it. They’re watching—always. They’re not looking for perfection, but they are looking for consistency and conviction.

Your teammates don’t have to agree with every decision you make. But they do have to believe in you. They have to trust that your choices aren’t arbitrary, reactive, or swayed by convenience or public opinion. When they believe that, they’ll follow you into and through the hard decisions. They’ll also bring you their concerns, knowing you’ll listen—even if you might not agree.

Becoming an Authentic Leader

After that first meeting with John, I started building my own leadership philosophy. I collected ideas from our daily “Thought for the Day” sessions, books, films, and my own experiences. Over time, I refined and tested them against the decisions I faced.

Eventually, during a Franklin Covey “governing values” exercise, I organized those ideas into a clear set of personal guiding principles—my  VJG Governing Values. I still review them daily. I’m not perfect, but I know what I’m striving for.

The reality is: when you step into leadership, your biggest surprise will be how many decisions you have to make every day. Knowing what you stand for doesn’t make the decisions easy—but it makes them clear. And that clarity will help you sleep at night.

Final Thought

If John were still here, he might still say I “don’t know sh^+.” But thanks to his example, I’m closer. Authentic leadership isn’t about faking it—it’s about finding it. And that work never ends. Thanks John!

Related articles

• Leading with authenticity: A conversation with Bill George
• True North and Authentic Leadership (Podcast)