We All Have the Power to Be Our Authentic Selves

BY TANYA MUSHYNSKI

Electrical Safety Authority
SEPTEMBER 7, 2026

When I was named one of WXN’s Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100, I felt an immediate sense of gratitude. I was honored to be part of a community of women who are not only advancing in their careers but lifting others as they do. I also paused to reflect on what brought me to this moment including the people who supported me along the way.

That reflection stayed with me as I joined the WXN Leadership Summit and Awards Gala. I remembered what Sherri Stevens said to all of us: Pause. Take this in. Reflect on what brought you here.

What Becomes Clear When You Listen

Over the course of the Summit, I had the opportunity to connect with other honorees, one-on-one, in small groups, and through panel discussions. What struck me wasn’t just what these women had accomplished. It was who they were, quietly confident with clarity and a sense that they understood their own power and were using it not just to move forward but to bring others with them. It came through in the different ways they shared their experience:

• • • • In the conversations about mentorship, you can support others at any stage of your career.
      • In the stories of navigating pushback, and choosing, at times, to push back against it.
      • In the openness with which women shared their experiences, not as instruction, but as encouragement.

Standing in RAW Courage

The theme of the 2021 awards, Stand in RAW Courage, felt present in every interaction. I saw it in women who had chosen to follow paths that were not always clear or expected, in women who had embraced their individuality even when it meant standing apart and in women who had built careers, families, and communities in ways that reflected who they truly are.

It made me reflect on my own journey not in terms of milestones but in terms of what has guided me along the way.

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

Everyone has to find their own authentic leadership style. Over more than two decades of work and volunteer experience, these are the lessons I have learned:

Know yourself.
Trust yourself.
Be yourself.

Do what you love.
Work hard.
Take risks.

Don’t give up.
Be confident.

Be kind to yourself.
Be kind to others.

Over time I’ve come to understand that the lessons really come down to having the courage to be yourself.

The Value of Supporting Others

Mentorship and connection have been a constant thread throughout my journey. I’ve found that the experience is never one-sided. In supporting others, I’ve often gained perspective, insight, and a deeper understanding of my own path. That reciprocity is part of what makes communities like WXN so meaningful. They create space for that exchange to happen.

Leading by Example

One idea that stayed with me from the Summit was a quote shared during one of the sessions: “The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own example.”  It reminds us that leadership is about how we show up, consistently, in our work and in our relationships and in doing so, we permit others to do the same.

 What We Carry Forward

The experience of the Summit and Awards Gala passed quickly, just as we were told it would, but what remains is the reminder that we all have the power to be our authentic selves in the choices we make every day.