Are sincerity and authenticity completely interchangeable? Similar or complementary? Do they have the same moral value? We’re hearing more and more about sincerity and authenticity in management lexicon, and the degree of importance they are given varies greatly from one individual to another, depending on their education, culture or even how they interact with others. Here is a brief overview of what sincerity and authenticity really mean, how they are used in everyday language, and how they impact our relationships.

Sincerity, or the duty to be frank

Since early childhood, we have been told: “tell the truth and nothing but the truth”! It’s an ethical principle we must uphold if we’re to be seen as honest and respectable. How many times have you read or heard about the importance of daring to “say what you mean”? 

But even so, is the kind of honesty we expect from our parents or friends when we lose our way—or when we need to grow in self-knowledge—also acceptable in a professional setting? Is speaking your mind always constructive?

Are your colleagues ready to hear what you really think about them? Because while sincerity is important when it comes to building authentic relationships, it can be hard to hear. And we sometimes run the risk of upsetting, or even hurting, other people, especially when honesty can discriminate. 

There is often a world of difference between our intention to do good by sharing information we believe will help someone progress, and the real impact of that information. We could also say that omitting or hiding the truth can be positive if it is to protect someone from news they would not be willing to accept. 

The nuance lies in how we express our sincerity: if our message taps into the emotional rather than the rational, chances are it won’t be well received, even when we have the best intentions. On the other hand, if we back up our remarks with factual data (how the person’s behavior has affected team dynamics, a business line, or another aspect of work) and make them constructive, the effect will be quite different, because that distance provides the perspective needed to understand the situation. So, sincerity can be a good thing, but we need to make sure it doesn’t go against ethical values.

Authenticity or being true to yourself

What about authenticity? Is it different from sincerity? Not necessarily! There’s an argument for saying that authenticity goes beyond sincerity. Where the latter consists of “saying what you think”, authenticity is defined by “being who you are” and by “presenting yourself to others as such”, if we return to its Greek etymology authentikós, which literally means “that which determines itself by its own authority”. 

Authenticity is played out first in the self, while sincerity is directed towards the other. And sincerity is highly subjective, because saying what you think or telling the truth doesn’t necessarily mean stating a universal fact. Authenticity flirts more with the notion of truth; or rather a truth specific to each person. 

To be authentic is to live in alignment with your identity, values, actions, and aspirations; to exist in harmony with yourself. Choosing authenticity means swapping denial for clear-sightedness, both for yourself and for others!

Authenticity and integrity

In this sense, authenticity can be linked to integrity, though it goes further. Integrity, defined as “living in accordance with one’s own principles”, is more typically associated with virtue ethics. 

While integrity requires that people wishing to be considered “upstanding” do not deviate from their own ethical principles, authenticity is more about following your own principles and aspirations, and considering them as you interact with others. We can therefore say that authenticity is a devotion to “personal” principles, aspirations, and values, whereas integrity is a faithfulness to more “universal” principles and values. In a society that increasingly advocates individual well-being, it would seem that authenticity has a bright future!

Sincerity and authenticity: is it one or the other?

Considered a sought-after and valued soft skill, “authenticity is closely linked to how individuals perceive their responsibilities—the exercise of freedom within a given framework—and their ability to act consistently with that perception.”¹

We expect leaders today to be authentic and to fully embody what they say and what they do. And this can be complementary to sincerity, as long as it takes other people into account as part of an ethical approach. 

When sincerity and authenticity come together, they can foster a sense of well-being at work, enabling “individuals to act in alignment with their true selves and to express themselves freely.”¹

(1) 7 super-pouvoirs pour développer la coopération, Julien Ohana & Charlotte Ringrave, Fil Rouge, 2021.

Article translated from French by Ruth Simpson