Editor's Alley
Will Fuentes, Communications Chair and Finance Director for the City of Campbell
Hello and Happy Halloween CSMFO Membership! Today is one of my favorite holidays of the year and I truly hope that you are all able to enjoy the candy, the ghouls, the goblins, and the revelry. As we put on our masks though for this one day of the year, I encourage you to remove them for every other day of the year and be an authentic team member and an authentic leader.
Authenticity is one of the values that I hold most dear in my life and it is a value that I was reminded of when I read a recent article titled “What is Authentic Leadership” by Western Governor’s University and shared on LinkedIn by Lauren Lai, Finance Director for the City of Milpitas. I highly encourage you to read the article linked above and consider how being an authentic leader can help you and your organization to achieve better results. The article is based on the theory created by Bill George in his book titled “Authentic Leadership”, published in 2003. And while I won’t recite the whole article or the book, I will highlight the five distinct qualities that George says authentic leaders have, or may develop:
- Sense of Purpose
- Distinct Values
- Relationship Building
- Goals and Self-Discipline
- Genuine Heart
Whether you are already there or have some work to do, I encourage to keep going and take note of some helpful tips the article recommends to be a more genuine and authentic leader:
- Explore your life story
- Take time to reflect
- Seek out feedback
- Understand your leadership style
Thank you for taking the time to read more about something which I value so highly and what has helped me and others to be better leaders. And while I hope you have fun being a zombie, an astronaut, a superhero, or the like, know that the best superhero is you. So be you. Be authentic. Be a great leader. Be you.
Will Fuentes is Communications Chair and Finance Director for the City of Campbell. Will has also served on the Board of Directors and was previously a Vice-Chair of the Career Development Committee. Prior to working for the City of Campbell, Will has served in roles at the City of Milpitas (Finance Director), City of Hayward (Deputy Finance Director), City of San Leandro (Assistant Finance Director), and City of Union City (Revenue and Budget Manager). In his free time, Will loves to hike, run, workout, go dancing, and cheer on the University of Notre Dame and the Buffalo Bills; as a former mid-westerner and New Yorker.
