Authentic Leadership Explained

Written by: Shaun Killian http://leadershipskills.org.au

In the wake of financial, ethical and societal crises, people have begun the clamor for
authentic leadership.
Newspaper columnist Kathleen Noonan hit the nail on the head when she observed that
all of us have become tired of the sanitized spin promoted by many of our politicians
and their PR advisors. She stated that the electorate craves “realness”—leaders who say
what they actually think without worrying about how others may perceive them.
The same holds true for staff at work, as mentioned by Northouse (2010). Research by
House, R. et.al (2004) confirms that staff across the globe universally value openness
and honesty in their leaders.
Clearly, authenticity matters. But what does it mean to be an authentic leader? Review of
research and literature reveals 5 common themes:
1. Commit to the truth. Authentic leaders want to know what is really going on so
they can respond accordingly. They surface and challenge unfounded
assumptions. They name and deal with the unsaid truths that everyone knows
about but conveniently ignores. More importantly, they have the courage to tell it
like it is.
2. Know yourself well. Authentic leaders know what they stand for. They are clear
about the values that are important to them. They capitalize on their unique
strengths and tendencies to offer an original approach to leadership grounded on
who they are as a person.
3. Show self-discipline. Authentic leaders consciously choose how they will act or
react in any situation. They evaluate their options with questions. Does this option
take me away from or closer to what I want to achieve and the leader that I aim to
be?
4. Show compassion. Authentic leaders care about people and causes beyond their
own self-interest. They are open to understanding the world through the eyes of
others. Their leadership is fueled by the belief that despite it being an imperfect
world, they can lead action to make it better.
5. Be genuine. Authentic leaders present their true selves to those they lead in
contextually appropriate ways. None of the other techniques will work if leaders
are not being true to themselves and genuine in the way they interact with others.
Conversely, a leader cannot be genuine without a commitment to truth, an
accurate knowledge of oneself, the discipline to regulate one’s own behaviors and
some degree of care for people other than oneself.

Authentic Leadership Explained © 2010

Being an authentic leader takes much experience and commitment. It is developed over
time, often triggered by setbacks and major life events. Yet, authenticity is also
something that you can choose to nurture at any time. I encourage you to give it go.
References:
Avolio, B & Gardner, W. (2005), Authentic Leadership Development,Leadership
Quarterly, 16, 315-338
B. & Steidlmeier, P. (1999), Ethics, Character & Authentic Transformational Leadership,
Leadership Quarterly, 10, 181-217
Friedman, S. (2008), Total Leadership: Be a Better Leader, Have a Richer Life, Harvard
Business School Press
Gardner, W., Avolio, B. & Walumbwa, F. (2005), Authentic Leadership Theory &
Practice, Elsevier Science
George, B. (2003), Authentic Leadership, Jossey-Bass; Bass
George, B. & Sims, P. (2007), True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, Jossey-
Bass
Goffee, R. & Jones, G. (2006), Why Should Anyone Be Led By You?Harvard Business
School Press
Goffee, R. & Jones, G. (2005), Managing Authenticity, Harvard Business Review
December Ed.
House, R. et.al. (2004), Culture, Leadership & Organizations: The GLOBE Study of 62
Societies, Sage.
Northouse, P. (2010), Leadership: Theory & Practice, 5th ed., Sage.
Terry, R. (1993), Authentic Leadership: Courage In Action, Jossey-Bass
Walumbwa, F., Avolio, B., Gardner, W., Wernsing, T. & Person, S. (2008),Authentic
Leadership: Development & Validation of a Theory-Based Measure, Journal of
Management, 34, 89-126

Authentic Leadership Explained © 2010

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Authentic Leadership Explained © 2010