Thank you for this article. I've been thinking a lot about authority and authenticity--that my desire to be authentic has at times undermined my authority. Thinking hard about how to achieve both.
Hey Laura, thanks for replying with this comment that is a struggle for so many. I was just talking with a mother who doesn’t believe in forcing their children to do anything. But when her child did not bathe for the fifth day in a row, she had to enforce hygiene. In that instance, she was authentic to her role authority. I think we’ve been too rigid in our concepts of authenticity. I’m gonna be writing a post about how authenticity demands more flexibility than we think. Thanks again.
Wow, that's the best feedback from a reader you could hope for. Thanks for reading and taking the post to heart. Here's to standing in our authority as authoritarianism rears it's head.
This was so enlightening and reminded me of my first 9th-grade essay: Who is the final authority? Imagine asking 9th graders to find their personal authority and to connect to their personal power of creativity!!
Ha! It would be pretty special if every high school freshman had to write an essay about their personal authority. Thanks for reading and commenting, Gia.
this is something I feel like in general- there is a lack of training for - and people end up in these roles without knowing how much responsibility or power they actually have and how to wield it properly. I wish this (like good parenting) was taught in schools. Much more useful than some of the more arcane subjects we end up being required to take.
Thank you for this article. I've been thinking a lot about authority and authenticity--that my desire to be authentic has at times undermined my authority. Thinking hard about how to achieve both.
Hey Laura, thanks for replying with this comment that is a struggle for so many. I was just talking with a mother who doesn’t believe in forcing their children to do anything. But when her child did not bathe for the fifth day in a row, she had to enforce hygiene. In that instance, she was authentic to her role authority. I think we’ve been too rigid in our concepts of authenticity. I’m gonna be writing a post about how authenticity demands more flexibility than we think. Thanks again.
That sounds like a good post.
I want to hear more about how that plays out. I'm interested in the interplay between the two.
I am also! Stay tuned.
I used your three questions and sat with them and learned a lot. Thanks Blair.
Wow, that's the best feedback from a reader you could hope for. Thanks for reading and taking the post to heart. Here's to standing in our authority as authoritarianism rears it's head.
I need to share this with someone!
I loved your three questions and answering them made me feel very good. You are so wonderfully wise.
So glad the post was useful, Linda! Thanks for reading and sharing here. ♥️
This was so enlightening and reminded me of my first 9th-grade essay: Who is the final authority? Imagine asking 9th graders to find their personal authority and to connect to their personal power of creativity!!
Ha! It would be pretty special if every high school freshman had to write an essay about their personal authority. Thanks for reading and commenting, Gia.
this is something I feel like in general- there is a lack of training for - and people end up in these roles without knowing how much responsibility or power they actually have and how to wield it properly. I wish this (like good parenting) was taught in schools. Much more useful than some of the more arcane subjects we end up being required to take.
Here here!