1st post (1)Authentic leadership has gained significant attention in organizational studies as a leadership
approach that emphasizes genuineness, transparency, and integrity in leaders’ actions and
behaviors. Examining its usefulness involves delving into research that supports or refutes its
effectiveness in driving organizational or individual success.
Research by Walumbwa and colleagues (2008) provides empirical evidence supporting the positive
impact of authentic leadership on various organizational outcomes. They found that authentic
leadership was significantly related to follower job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and
perceived leader effectiveness. Similarly, Avolio and Gardner (2005) conducted a study that
demonstrated a positive relationship between authentic leadership and follower trust and satisfaction.
These findings suggest that authentic leadership contributes to fostering positive organizational
climates and enhancing employee well-being and engagement.
However, it’s essential to note that authentic leadership is not without its critiques. Some researchers
argue that the concept lacks clear definition and measurement, making it challenging to empirically
validate its effectiveness (Gardner et al., 2011). Moreover, there is debate over whether authentic
leadership is a distinct leadership style or simply an aggregation of other leadership behaviors
(Kernis, 2003).
To understand authentic leadership, it’s crucial to identify its key elements. Avolio and Gardner (2005)
proposed four components of authentic leadership: self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced
processing, and internalized moral perspective. Self-awareness involves understanding one’s values,
strengths, and weaknesses. Relational transparency entails being open and honest in interpersonal
relationships. Balanced processing refers to considering multiple perspectives before making
decisions. Internalized moral perspective involves having a strong ethical foundation and adhering to
one’s principles.
Behavioral elements that one might objectively see in an authentic leader include:
1. Consistency between words and actions: Authentic leaders demonstrate integrity by aligning their
behaviors with their stated values and principles.
2. Open communication: Authentic leaders foster transparency by openly sharing information and
soliciting feedback from their followers.
3. Empathy and understanding: Authentic leaders show genuine concern for the well-being of their
followers and strive to understand their perspectives and feelings.
4. Authenticity in relationships: Authentic leaders build trust and rapport with their followers through
genuine interactions and authentic expressions of themselves.
Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a crucial role in authentic leadership. EI refers to the ability to
recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions and those of others effectively (Goleman, 1995).
Authentic leaders with high EI are better equipped to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics, build
meaningful relationships, and inspire trust and confidence in their followers. By understanding and
managing their emotions, authentic leaders can create supportive work environments, handle conflicts
constructively, and effectively motivate and empower their teams.
In conclusion, authentic leadership holds promise as a leadership approach that fosters positive
organizational outcomes and enhances individual well-being. While research supports its
effectiveness in driving employee engagement and satisfaction, ongoing debate surrounds its
conceptualization and measurement. Understanding the key elements and behavioral manifestations
of authentic leadership, along with the role of emotional intelligence, provides valuable insights for
leaders seeking to cultivate authenticity and integrity in their leadership practices.
References:
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Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005). Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of
positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 16(3), 315-338.
Gardner, W. L., Cogliser, C. C., Davis, K. M., & Dickens, M. P. (2011). Authentic leadership: A review
of the literature and research agenda. The Leadership Quarterly, 22(6), 1120-1145.
Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.
Kernis, M. H. (2003). Toward a conceptualization of optimal self-esteem. Psychological Inquiry, 14(1),
1-26.
Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic
leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management, 34(1),
89-126.
Respond of 1st post :
2nd post ( 2 )
Introduction
Businesses need leaders who can connect with their staff and motivate them to take action. The best
indicator of job satisfaction is that workers’ perceptions of genuine leadership favorably influence
workplace mindsets and satisfaction. Managers upholding high values of credibility, accepting
accountability for their decisions, and center choices on principles rather than immediate improvement
are illustrations of authentic leaders. According to Northouse (2022), by following their inner direction
guiding operational processes, they can gain the respect of organizational partners, develop a
responsive work atmosphere, and cultivate group performance.
The Usefulness of Authentic Leadership as A Determinant of Organizational Success
Authentic leadership in organizations is a key determinant of organizational and individual success
over the long term. First, developing strong and long-lasting relationships with stakeholders,
colleagues, followers, and employees is one of the key advantages of an authentic leadership style
(Nawaz & Tian, 2022). Authentic leaders may establish their credibility, dependability, and
authenticity, as well as win people’s trust and allegiance by acting with honesty, transparency, and
consistency (Riggio, 2022). Encouraging an upbeat company culture may also inspire employees to
contribute to the common objectives and vision by making them feel important, encouraged, and
supported.
Elements of Authentic Leadership
Authentic leadership is distinguished from different theories of leadership by several essential
components. Observable behavioral attributes like transparency, honesty, and self-awareness may be
used to determine a leader’s authenticity. Genuine in their relationships, authentic leaders
communicate with honesty and transparency. They behave honorably, always matching their deeds to
their ideals and beliefs (Williams, 2021). It is also imperative to note that they exhibit a great degree of
self-awareness, accepting both their talents and shortcomings and their willingness to develop and
learn from their experiences (Nawaz & Tian, 2022). Authentic leaders create deep connections with
people, demonstrating empathy and establishing trust through genuine partnerships.
The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Authentic Leadership
Emotional intelligence has an important influence on the effectiveness of authentic leadership in large
teams or organizations. According to Miao et al. (2018), Despite having robust technical and
interpersonal skills, numerous leaders lack emotional intelligence. Leadership sets the quality for the
company, thus using emotional intelligence in their skill set is indispensable. A company run by a
CEO without emotional intelligence has difficulties with functions such as problem-solving, decisionmaking, innovation, and team performance in the current competitive environment. Emotionally
intelligent leaders are adept at fostering cooperation, honest communication, and confidence among
their subordinates. Workers are more willing to voice their problems and ideas honestly, including any
ethical conundrums they may run into, when they are acknowledged and respected. Emotionally
aware and growing leaders may provide a proactive atmosphere where ethical concerns are handled
by fostering open communication and psychological security. This allows them to identify ethical
issues and poor decisions earlier and address them before they become serious issues.
Conclusion
In light of the above, leadership practitioners have argued that genuine leadership must be
identified and developed for firms to benefit from effective management and acquire a competitive
edge. Authentic leaders exhibit consciousness by making certain that their actions are consistent with
their internal ideals. The self-control process also allows authentic leaders to resist influences and
demands from the outside world. They include their staff in decision-making to instill openness in their
environment, appreciate other points of view, and ask for their opinions. Because everyone feels
heard, respected, and encouraged while contributing to the company’s objectives, this welcoming
approach promotes engagement among workers. Modern authentic leaders should also develop their
emotional intelligence levels, allowing them to make better decisions, improve their communication
skills, and include their subordinates in decision-making.
References
Miao, C., Humphrey, R. H., & Qian, S. (2018). Emotional intelligence and authentic leadership: A
meta-analysis. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 39(5), 679-690.
Nawaz, A., & Tian, R. (2022). The impact of authentic leadership on project success: the mediating
effect of organizational learning and innovation. International Journal of Managing Projects in
Business, 15(6), 960-982.
Northouse, P. G. (2022). Leadership: Theory and Practice (9th Ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Riggio, R. E. (2022, March 13). 5 leader behaviours that are guaranteed to de-motivate
you. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/202203/5leader-behaviors-are-guaranteed-de-motivate-you
Williams, B. (2021, May 16). When Leaders Need to Be Followers. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/03/16/when-leaders-need-to-be-followers
Respond of 2nd post:
3rd post ( )
I received question based on my post
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the question of authentic leadership.
You have raised some important issues.
What are your thoughts on this?
What is the role of emotional intelligence in authentic leadership, and how can it be developed?
My post was as below
Authentic leadership, which has become the main area of investigation in
organizational behavior and management, aims to ensure leaders are real, self-aware and
communicative with their colleagues. An interesting aspect to which this leadership style
may be related is that both groups and individuals may benefit from such a pursuit in the
organizations.
Authentic leadership has been widely researched to determine how it relates to
organizational success and the success of individual employees, and the studies mostly point
to its effectiveness in achieving this goal (Palanski et al., 2021). The research was done to
evaluate the impact of authentic leadership on some critical outcomes which are witnessed
in the corporate environment (Awasthi & Walumbwa, 2022). The paper finds that authentic
leadership have positive impact on organizational citizenship behavior, that is, the unofficial
activities by the members of the organization to advance it objectives.
Another study focused on the relation between authentic leadership, trust,
engagement and team member performance (Malloy & Kavussanu, 2021). Researchers
found that the followers’ trust in the leader is crucial in determining their engagement and
workplace performance (Iszatt-White et al., 2021). One of the first things that should
present in an organization is trust because it allows individuals to communicate effectively
and help each other willingly and without any hesitation.
Authentic leadership has many distinctive traits, most of which can be found in the
actions of genuine leaders. One of the most important is self-awareness, which entails
understanding one’s profile of strengths, weaknesses, values, and beliefs (Helmuth et al.,
2023). Being authentic is about being aware of one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviours,
not being afraid to be Fallible, and accepting feedback to improve. Through this awareness,
leaders can make inspired decisions, and their leadership becomes built on integrity.
As a part of authentic leadership, relational transparency is also considered to be
another significant characteristic. Real leaders create open and trust-based connections
with their followers, and this is done by telling the truth, being emotionally open, and
sharing their values (Hartnell et al., 2023). They adopt a genuine nature and are far from
deception. Thus, people will trust and believe these people easily. Leaders who are open
and genuine when dealing with people create an atmosphere where followers feel free to
share their views, opening up communication channels and enhancing teamwork.
Fair and balanced leadership processing is also an important aspect of an authentic
leader (Lubbadeh, 2020). True leaders are ready to analyze various viewpoints and
standpoints in depth before choosing the best action plan, as they seek and evaluate
information from multiple sources. Furthermore, they make impartial choices built on
ethical principles for their organization’s and stakeholders’ good.
One of emotional intelligence with authentic leadership is a strong key. Authentic
leaders are notably highly intelligent emotionally, which makes them able not only to
understand and manage their own emotions but also to understand and deal with the
feelings of others properly (Carsten et al., 2023). This awareness of emotion and its
regulation constitutes the development of genuine relationships, clear communication, and
empathetic decision-making (Kilag et al., 2024). Through understanding the emotional
states of their followers and providing timely support, motivation, and guidance, authentic
leaders contribute constructively to making the work environment cohesive, pleasant, and
ultimately productive.
In conclusion, an authentic approach that brings honesty, self-awareness, and ethical
thinking to the fore is crucial. Several studies have proven this statement true, so it is only
logical to incorporate it into the study program. Personal traits such as self-awareness,
relational transparency, balanced processing, internalized morality, and emotional
intelligence that form the basis of authentic leadership are crucial factors that enhance
mutual trust between leaders and employees and eventually contribute to personnel
engagement and organizational success, thus leading to a positive work atmosphere.
References
Awasthi, P., & Walumbwa, F. O. (2022). Antecedents and consequences of servant
leadership in local governance: Evidence from three case studies. Public
Administration Review, 82(6), 1077–
1094. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/puar.13552
Carsten, M., Clapp-Smith, R., Haslam, S. A., Bastardoz, N., Gooty, J., Connelly, S., & Spain, S.
(2023). Doing better leadership science via replications and registered reports. The
Leadership Quarterly,
101712. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984323000383
Hartnell, C. A., Christensen-Salem, A., Walumbwa, F. O., Stotler, D. J., Chiang, F. F., & Birtch,
T. A. (2023). Manufacturing motivation in the Mundane: Servant leadership
influences employees’ intrinsic motivation and performance. Journal of Business
Ethics, 188(3), 533–552. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10551-02305330-2
Helmuth, C. A., Cole, M. S., & Vendette, S. (2023). Actions are authentic, but are leaders? A
reconceptualization of authenticity and leadership
practice. https://repository.tcu.edu/bitstream/handle/116099117/61253/HelmuthA
rticle.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Iszatt-White, M., Carroll, B., Gardiner, R. A., & Kempster, S. (2021). Leadership special issue:
Do we need authentic leadership? Interrogating authenticity in a new world
order. Leadership, 17(4), 389–
394. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/17427150211000153
Kilag, O. K. T., Pasigui, R. E., Malbas, M. H., Manire, E. A., Piala, M. C., Araña, A. M. M.,
& Sasan, J. M. (2024). Preferred Educational Leaders: Character and Skills. European