WHAT IS SELF-FIDELITY?

Self-Fidelity is the practice of being true to one’s essential nature. Our essential nature encompasses qualities such as; being caring, creative, courageous, confident, vital and playful.

By learning how to reconnect to these innate qualities, we engender psychological safety, trust, innovation, engagement, collaboration, wellbeing and performance. We restore faith in ourselves, and in each other.

The central premise of the practice is simple: true belonging, engagement, performance, fulfillment and wellbeing flow from being who we are, not changing who we are. The key outcomes of a self-fidelity practice include; greater self-awareness, activation of unique strengths, increased vitality and sustained performance.

Self-fidelity buffers against the pressure to “fit in” at any cost, dehumanising work practice and a world that so often glorifies self-betrayal.

It’s a practice that’s empowering people from the inside-out.

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

Our working lives are a pilgrimage of self-discovery. A pilgrimage that shapes the expression of who we are and the way we think and feel about ourselves and all others. A pilgrimage that can illuminate how we might best serve the troubled world we inhabit.

More and more, people are questioning what it means to experience an uplifting working life.

Self-fidelity supports us to create a working life that honours our humanity and supports us to better serve our colleagues, customers, communities, friends and families. A working life that gives us a deep sense of connection, meaning and purpose, and works in harmony with our other big loves and the delicate ecosystems we inhabit.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

There is a large, growing body of research that speaks to the individual and collective benefits associated with the practice of being true to ourselves. In this business case, we highlight the benefits associated with key outcomes of the practice, namely; being authentic (leading to improved well-being and engagement), improving self-awareness, understanding and applying strengths and fostering cultures of true belonging.

In addition to the quantifiable benefits cited in this business case, there are significant intangible benefits that flow from empowering people to be more themselves at work. Because the practice of self-fidelity fosters a genuine and sustained sense of vitality and empowerment at work, all sorts of new, often unexpected positive outcomes emerge over time – in all aspects of our lives.

BENEFIT #1: IMPROVED PERFORMANCE

Research confirms the relationship between expressing one’s true self (being authentic) and improved well-being and employee engagement. Employees with higher levels of well-being are: happier and more resilient, able to learn more effectively, more creative, up to 8x more engaged in their work and up to 3x more productive. Higher employee engagement is positively correlated with improved organisational outcomes. People who understand and apply their strengths every day at work are also more likely to be confident, creative, agile, engaged in their work, satisfied with their job and performing highly. Leaders who focus on the strengths of their employees experience; lower levels of employee turnover, higher levels of productivity, more satisfied customers and greater profitability.

BENEFIT #2: BETTER LEADERSHIP & THRIVING CULTURES

Self-awareness has been shown to be the biggest predictor of leadership performance. Research shows that organisations with strong financial performance tend to have employees who are more self-aware. The practice improves awareness of ones strengths, triggers, patterns of negative self-talk and core needs. Self-aware leaders who understand both the “why” and the “how” of honouring who we really are at work foster cultures characterised by inclusion, well-being, collaboration, trust and innovation.

BENEFIT #3: IMPROVED EMPLOYEE RETENTION & ENGAGEMENT

Record numbers of employees are quitting or thinking about doing so. Research indicates that the four most important factors to reduce the likelihood of voluntary attrition are employees: feeling valued by their manager, feeling valued by their organisation, feeling a sense of belonging and having work-life balance. Leaders who practice of self-fidelity are likely to experience a greater capacity to genuinely care for themselves, and others – helping people to feel valued. Self-fidelity gets right to the heart of belonging because it supports people to deeply understand and accept themselves. As the research of Dr Brene Brown confirms true belonging “doesn’t require us to change who we are; it requires us to be who we are.”

BENEFIT #4: REDUCED RISK OF EMPLOYEE BURNOUT

Self-fidelity serves as an antidote to the stress of ‘surface acting’, reducing the risk of burnout. The practice also empowers people to prioritise self-care by cultivating the skills to overcome patterns of over-working, unhealthy striving, proving and perfectionism. Greater clarity and confidence are also natural outcomes of a self-fidelity practice. All these things directly contribute to the capacity for employees and leaders to underpin performance with well-being by maintaining healthy lifestyle choices and work-life balance – which is also a key factor in employee retention.

 

Being true to our deepest selves liberates our highest potential and serves the greatest good.

If you would you like to explore how to support your leaders to reconnect to their deepest selves, reach out for a chat [email protected]