Going through life as a phoney, especially if you are in a leadership role, is going to mean that you will do it tough. You’ll find it hard to get and keep followers. Like they say, you can only fool some of the people some of the time.

Leaders need to be authentic – the real deal, not a cheap fake. Let me explain.

Imagine you buy something of value (an expensive watch, some sporting memorabilia or a piece of artwork), believing it to be what it was sold to you as. Then you find out that what you bought was a copy. You feel duped, ripped off.  You can’t believe that people would do that to others.

Imagine now, that you buy into the vision of a leader – in your workplace, community organisation or even in government. The person that you have put your faith and trust in turns out to be other than who they say they were. Again, you feel duped and let down. You disengage, stop trying and become frustrated.

If you want to lead others and influence positive change you have no choice other than to be authentic, the real deal.

Why not make a deal with yourself that in 2013 you will strive to be more authentic?