The Real Risk Is Often Being Real
- Brainz Magazine
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
Sarah is one of two managing partners at Vane Percy & Roberts with 25 years experience in global stratgey and communications. Known for her clear thinking, sharp wit, and approachable style, she blends expertise in media, public affairs, and strategy to deliver smart, effective solutions that make a real difference.
In a world obsessed with confidence, personal branding, and saying the ‘right’ thing, the bravest act might be this: showing up as yourself, especially when you're still figuring out who that is. We talk a lot about authenticity in leadership and entrepreneurship, but few talk about how confronting it is to find, own, and live your truth, especially when doing so feels like a risk.
It’s easy to say we value authenticity. It’s much harder to live it, especially when the stakes are high.
What does it mean to be authentic?
I’ve spent more than 25 years in global communications and strategy, working with leaders across healthcare, public policy, and philanthropy. I’ve helped shape brands and messaging for world-renowned organisations. And in that time, I’ve learned something about the power and complexity of showing up as yourself.
Let’s start with the obvious: authenticity is not a fixed state. It’s not something you find once and then simply wear like a favourite item of clothing. We all adapt to the room we're in, the role we’re playing, and the expectations placed on us. I behave differently in a boardroom than I do with my family, my team, or an audience. We all do. And that doesn’t make us fake; it makes us human.
The real question isn’t whether you’re always the same version of yourself, it’s whether your values stay intact when you shift.
All about self-awareness
It starts with self-awareness, but not the fluffy kind. This is the kind of clarity that comes from doing the deep, often uncomfortable work of asking:
What do I stand for?
Where am I filtering myself unnecessarily?
What version of me is showing up, and is that version helping or hurting?
And then, it’s about choice. Choosing to speak honestly. Choosing to show empathy. Choosing to own your voice in rooms that weren’t built for it. Choosing not to shrink.
It’s also about alignment
There’s a growing pressure to present ourselves as fully formed, polished, confident, and also deeply real. But authenticity isn’t about radical transparency or sharing every thought that crosses your mind. It’s about alignment. Do your actions match your values? Do your words reflect what you really believe, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable? Are you grounded in something beyond performance?
Because leadership is, in many ways, a performance. That doesn’t make it inauthentic. It means it’s deliberate. You prepare, you communicate strategically, you understand optics. But when the performance is rooted in purpose, in real conviction, it stops being a mask and starts being a message.
What people respond to isn’t rawness for its own sake, it’s congruence. When you walk into a room and your body language, words, and intent are aligned, people trust you. And that kind of trust can’t be faked.
Authenticity requires courage
But here’s the thing I’ve found: authenticity requires courage, not confidence. If you wait until you feel perfectly sure of yourself to speak up, to lead, to take a stand, you’ll wait forever. Authenticity isn't a destination you arrive at once you’ve got it all figured out. It’s a practice, one that gets shaped through tension, feedback, and even failure.
And this idea that you have to ‘find’ your authentic self before you can lead with it? That’s a myth. You don’t find it. You build it. You become it, choice by choice, moment by moment:
Every time you tell the truth when it’s easier not to.
Every time you say no to something that violates your values, or yes to something that scares you.
Every time you pause, reassess, and realign.
In my own work, whether I’m running a communications agency or steering a non-profit through transition, I’ve had to lead in times of uncertainty, pressure, and high visibility. And in those moments, I’ve often asked myself: Am I leading in a way that feels true? Am I saying what needs to be said, even when it’s hard? Am I willing to be seen?
And sometimes, honestly, the answer has been no. There are moments I’ve defaulted to safety, to the easy line, to keeping things smooth. That’s okay too. Authenticity isn’t about perfection. It’s about pattern. It’s about direction of travel.
The more we can make space, especially in leadership, for the messy, uncertain process of becoming, the more we allow others to do the same. That’s when trust grows. That’s when impact happens.
So, how do I know it’s my real self?
There are clear signs that you’re leading from your real self:
You say “I don’t know” without shame. You recognise that confidence isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about knowing what to do next.
You’re consistent, not performative. Your team sees the same version of you that clients do. And that version is clear, kind, and grounded.
You lead with curiosity, not control. You ask more than you preach. You listen more than you broadcast.
You hold your values, even when it costs. You’re not swayed by trends, power, or convenience. You hold the line when it matters.
You make others feel seen. Your authenticity gives others permission to bring more of themselves to the table too.
So, have I found myself?
So no, I won’t pretend I’ve ‘found’ my authentic self and now wear her every day. I don’t think that’s how it works. But I do know this: every time I show up fully, with clarity, with care, with a little less armour, things shift. Not just for me, but for the people around me.
And maybe that’s the point. Not to finally arrive at some perfect, consistent version of ourselves, but to choose again and again to lead from the truest place we can access in the moment. The truth is, authenticity isn’t something you unlock once and keep forever. It’s a choice you make repeatedly, in meetings, in boardrooms, in conflict, in silence.
That takes nerve. It takes clarity. And yes, sometimes, it takes balls.
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Read more from Sarah Roberts
Sarah Roberts, Global Strategy and Communications Leader
Sarah is one of two managing partners at Vane Percy & Roberts, with 25+ years in global comms, strategy, public affairs, and stakeholder relations. Known for her clear thinking, sharp wit, and approachable style, she delivers tailored solutions that drive impactful change. Her mission: to lead with authenticity, foster collaboration, and ensure every team member feels heard and valued. Recognised for her bold, inventive approach, Sarah is a gifted networker and convenor of creative talent, always ready to make strategic choices that drive success.
