Authentic leadership is an approach to leadership that emphasizes building the legitimacy of leaders through honest relationships with followers who value their input and are built on an ethical foundation. Generally, authentic leaders are positive people with honest self-concept â € <â € Video Authentic leadership
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The concept of "authenticity" can trace its history back to ancient Greece. Ancient Greek philosophers emphasized authenticity as an important state through an emphasis on controlling their own lives and ubiquitous counsel: "Know yourself". Authentic leadership as we know it today evolves from the history of these terms. It dates from the 1960s as a means to illustrate how an organization reflects itself authentically through leadership. Some believe that the whole organization can act as authentically as one person through responsibility, reaction to uncertainty, and creativity. Others believe that authentic leadership is actually more about how leaders define their own role within an organization.
Recently, authentic leadership has garnered more attention among academics and practitioners due to the publications of Harvard professors and former CEO Billtronic Medtronic and other calls for research. The last decade has seen a surge in publications about authentic leadership, generating new models, definitions, and theories. The emphasis on conceptual development suggests that this concept is still in the early stages of constructive evolution, although as scientific research on the topic progresses, the kind of published publications seems to shift from largely conceptual pieces to more empirically based articles. This shift may indicate the emergence of a nascent construct from the evolutionary stage of recognition and elaboration to the one marked by evaluation and augmentation.
Maps Authentic leadership
Definition
Since the concept itself is not yet fully mature in the theoretical sense, there are many different authentic leadership definitions, each with its own nuances. However, consensus seems to develop that authentic leadership encompasses these different qualities:
- Self-awareness: The ongoing process of reflection and reexamination by leaders of strengths, weaknesses, and their own values ​​
- Relational Transparency: Open sharing by the leader of his or her own thoughts and beliefs, balanced by minimizing inappropriate emotions
- Balanced Processing: A request by a leader who opposes views and fair judgment from that point of view
- Internal Moral Perspective: A positive ethical foundation that leaders adhere to in their relationships and decisions that are resistant to external pressure
There are empirical studies that support the authentic leadership superordinate construction that includes these four components. It should be noted, however, that this evidence has been questioned as a result of the reporting of statistically impossible results. Other papers by the same authors have been drawn to the same problem and the authors' inability to produce proof of their claims.
Authenticity and ethics
Some people suggest that authentic leadership does not need to include a moral component. Supporters of this point of view emphasize the word "authentic" in authentic leadership and suggest that one can be right with a corrupt value system and still be an authentic leader. Falsifying a set of ethical barriers that a leader does not personally prescribe will be a sign of unauthenticity. Others reject the notion that a leader can actually show other components of self-awareness, relational transparency, and balanced processing - without the moral maturity associated with a positive personal value system.
Behavior pattern
Authentic leadership should be understood as a pattern of behavior in which leaders demonstrate an authentic leadership component. Thus, it is not enough for leaders to be self-conscious, etc. Without also doing himself in such a way that others, especially subordinates, see leaders as authentic.
Empirical original leadership model
Although the concept of authentic leadership as a relatively actionable model is relatively new to leadership theory and practice, there have been some preliminary studies on the overall effectiveness of models and how models work within teams and organizations. This research has been used to explain what precedes the emergence of authentic leadership behaviors, what makes authentic leadership effective, and the consequences of adopting an authentic leadership style. These factors contribute to why authentic leadership works in teams and organizations.
Antecedents
Some characteristics of leaders may be important for the emergence of leadership behaviors that are authentic by leaders. For example, both the leader's self-knowledge and self-consistency have proven to act as a precursor to authentic leadership (previously a static process for understanding their own strengths and weaknesses and the ultimate consistency between their values, beliefs, and actions). This relates to a key component of authentic leadership: leaders must first be clear about their values ​​and beliefs to be perceived as authentic by their followers and they must demonstrate consistency between their values, beliefs, and actions.
Additional research shows that leaders who act according to the three components of positive psychological capital (PsyCap) (hope, optimism, and resilience) are more likely to be authentic leaders. This is true for several reasons. First, leaders who can define and explain goals effectively create a more hopeful environment for their followers. Second, optimistic leaders have greater ability to motivate their followers and help them more easily anticipate future events. Third, tough leaders are better prepared to function in a changing environment to support their followers.
The level of self-monitoring high and low in an individual has also been suggested as an authentic leadership antecedent. Self-monitoring reflects how likely someone is to actively build a public image that is consistent with the expectations of others. It has been proposed that low self-monitoring leads to a higher level of authentic leadership characteristics because low self-monitor and authentic leaders both act in a manner consistent with what they believe and value. However, empirical research has not supported this theory so far.
Mediator
Among the authentic leadership advocates, there are many theories about why authentic leadership is an effective leadership strategy.
Authentic leadership has been shown to increase team members' confidence in the team's ability to succeed, known as team potential, which in turn has been shown to improve team performance. This is because authentic leadership behaviors enhance the virtues of teams that, in turn, increase the team's potential and performance.
Authentic leadership has also been shown to encourage team performance by promoting trust within groups or organizations, as follower trust in leaders will encourage increased loyalty to the organization, improving performance as a result.
Other studies have shown that the relationship between authentic leadership and organizational civic behavior and empowerment is mediated by identification with supervisors. This is because the interpersonal identification of followers with their leaders links leaders and followers results (in this case, empowerment and OCB). It should be noted, however, that the article that these claims are based on is drawn amid fears that the results are not accurately reported and the authors were unable to produce any evidence to verify their claims.
Research into authentic leadership mechanisms is ongoing, but it becomes clear that authentic leaders generate emotional and/or psychological responses from their followers that lead to improved individual and team performance.
Consequences
Initial research has shown that leaders who practice authentic leadership usually lead better performing teams than teams with leaders who do not practice authentic leadership. This is not always surprising because the model itself emerges from successful leaders who simply describe what they are doing and put the label of "authentic leadership" on the description. The academic model that has been developed for many years since the publication of True North largely resulted from the work of academics to better illustrate the model so it can be researched and duplicated.
Size
Both scientists and research practitioners have an interest in measuring the authentic leadership levels shown by individual leaders. Scientists such as industrial-organizational psychologists and management researchers measure authentic leadership levels as a way of studying the authentic leader's interaction with his organization. Practitioners such as management consultants and human resource professionals measure authentic leadership levels to help assess the behavior of leaders within an organization.
Leadership Leadership Scale (LAS)
The first particularly significant measure of authentic leadership levels is the 32-item Leader Authenticity Scale (LAS). LAS measures a leader's tendency to behave properly regardless of formal position (referred to as self-salience over role), to acknowledge accountability for error, and to avoid subordinate manipulation. The LAS is developed by educational researchers who identify the authenticity of leaders as an important indicator of organizational climate in schools. Then the researchers questioned the reliability and generalization of the LAS because small and non-diverse samples were used in its development. Authentic_Leadership_Questionnaire_ (ALQ) "> Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI)
The Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI), developed in 2011, is a survey completed by followers to capture the authentic leadership behavior levels shown by the supervisor. Based on the theoretical research used to develop ALQ, ALI provides a more stringent and tested original leadership measure. In addition, all 16 item supplies are available for free.
Inventory of Authenticity (AL: 3)
Additional size associated with authentic leadership, Inventory of Authenticity (AL: 3), is used to measure the authenticity of an individual. Although not a measure of leadership alone, it is used by some as a measure of the authenticity of a leader.
Become an authentic leader
The basis of authentic leadership comes from the personal history of leaders, including life events (often called trigger events) that direct the flow of leadership formation. How leaders interpret these personal histories and trigger events will inform their identity as leaders and influence their moral development and values, two crucial components in the development of authentic leaders. Since authenticity in leadership is rooted in loyalty to the ideals of leadership and ethical values ​​of its own, authentic leadership is generated through lifelong experience and resistance to traditional training programs. The development of authentic leaders involves guided self-reflection, building self-awareness through the use of a life story approach. There is now emerging evidence that group coaching is an effective approach to Authentic Leadership Development. It can also be facilitated by the intervention of a developmental trigger event plus a self directed reflection. Recognizing leadership contingency theory, which shows that leaders must adapt their styles and behaviors to be effective in various situations, some leadership development theorists have pointed out that only the most expert of leaders can combine the needs of various situations and different or diverse followers into them has a fundamental value system that remains authentic while also effective across diverse leadership contexts.
Relationship with other leadership theories
The late twentieth century saw the emergence of new leadership theories that sought to understand how leaders not only direct and manage, but also inspire their followers in a unique way. The charismatic leadership construct was introduced at Max Weber in 1920 but was greatly expanded by leadership theorists who began in 1970 and continues to this day. Charismatic leadership theory seeks to capture the attributes and behaviors of outstanding leaders in extraordinary situations (including the variance of both dimensions) to understand the unusual or unique responses of followers. Soon, the theory of transformational leadership was widely developed. This theory distinguishes the "transformational" leadership behavior from "transactional" leadership behavior; transformational leaders inspire extraordinary action by providing insight to followers about the importance of their work and results, by encouraging followers to subdue their self-interest to the organization, and by motivating followers through high-level activation needs. More recent examples of the so-called neo-charismatic leadership theories include servant leadership, ethical leadership, spiritual leadership, and visionary leadership.
Authentic supporters and intellectual leaders show that authentic leadership is conceptually different from other approaches to leadership. There is empirical support for this position, as research has shown that authentic leadership can explain the differences in leadership performance above and those described by other leadership theories, such as transformational leadership and ethical leadership. At the same time, some theorists claim that authentic leadership is only one (though important) aspect of other forms of leadership. An ambiguous understanding of what distinguishes authentic leadership theories from other leadership theories can be regarded as a signal that, although research evolves into authentic leadership, theory remains at the early stages of construction; further research will be needed to draw the distinction between these various leadership theories. It should also be noted, however, that many of these theories are also retarded; so the problem of differentiation can not be strictly attributed to the development of authentic leadership theory.
Further research
Since authentic leadership is still in the early stages from a research standpoint, it is necessary to develop the theory behind it. Most articles written on the topic so far are theoretical, suggesting that pursuing empirical research is more an appropriate next step.
Further reading
Gardner, W.L., Cogliser, C.C., Davis, K.M., & amp; Dickens, M.P. (2011). Authentic Leadership: A review of the literature and research agenda. Quarterly Leadership, 22 , 1120-1145.
George, B. & amp; Sims, P. (2007). True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership . San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
See also
- Leadership
- Servant leadership
- Charismatic leadership
- Transformational leadership
- Positive psychology
References
External links
- Mindgarden.com
- Authleadership.com
- Hbr.org
- Leadership.uoregon.edu
- www.authenticleadershipdevelopment.co.uk
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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