What Authenticity Really Means (and Why It Matters)

Shannon Malkin Daniels
Apr 29
3 min read

A couple of weeks ago, I met up with a friend to brainstorm ideas for a thought leadership talk.

When discussing topics at the intersection of what we do (AI-human collaboration and interpersonal communication) the conversation naturally delved into my favorite topic: authenticity.

At one point, my friend paused and asked, "When you say authenticity, what exactly do you mean?"

Without missing a beat, I said, "It's showing up as the same person no matter where you are, online or in person. It's about not saying one thing and doing another. It's about staying true to who you are and what you stand for no matter the situation."

Since good friends challenge you in the best ways, she pushed back saying, "Our thoughts and opinions change over time. Shouldn't we?"

She was absolutely right, and I agreed wholeheartedly, which led us into an even deeper conversation about what authenticity really is.

Here's where we landed:

Authenticity is the alignment of your words, actions and values — even as your perspective evolves.

If your perspective shifts — and it will, because that's part of growth — own it. For me, authenticity is where your passion, purpose and perspective meet:

Passion is what you do in life and business.
Purpose is why you do what you do, your driving force.
Perspective is the intersection of how you see the world and your willingness to stand in that truth, even when it challenges the norm.

When those three are aligned, that's authenticity.

Fast forward a week. I was being interviewed for a global online community that's profiling my story, and guess what topic came up again?

You guessed it: authenticity.

The woman interviewing me said, "I’m not the same with my family, friends and colleagues. So I guess I’m not being authentic?"

And once again, I found myself untangling a common misconception.

Authenticity doesn’t mean acting the same in every room. It means your values walk in with you, no matter where you are.

Of course we should adapt how we communicate based on who we're with. You wouldn’t talk to your boss the same way you talk to your best friend. And you wouldn’t treat your five-year-old nephew the same way you treat your peers.

That’s called being socially aware, and it’s a good thing.

But at the heart of it, your values, honesty and core self should never feel like a costume you put on and take off. You should never feel like you’re acting.

There’s a saying: "Don't meet your heroes." It exists because too often, when people finally meet someone they admired from afar, they walk away disappointed. The person wasn’t who they said they were. They weren’t authentic.

I believe authenticity means being the hero your fans and followers want to meet because you are exactly who you say you are.

As you move through your week, I invite you to lean into your authentic self. Be honest about where you are, what you believe and how you show up, even if it’s a little messy.

Be the hero your fans are not just excited to meet, but are grateful they did.