The Role of Authenticity in Developing Successful Leadership Practices:
A Review of Literature
Abstract
Authentic leadership in the postmodern world is a necessary concept for
organizations. It is a new kind of leadership grounded in the
understandings and memories gained in human lives. Organizations need a
leadership that is able to critique the shortcomings and myths that
support the status quo. It is a leadership grounded in new anthropology
and in understanding of the human condition as both feminine, masculine
and multicultural, as embedded in nature. This paper reviews literature
on the realities associated with authentic leadership in an attempt to
answer the question of whether authenticity is significant in developing
successful leadership practice. It also evaluates effects of
authenticity to leadership practice today. For a better perspective of
authentic leadership, a four-component model of authentic leadership
consisting of self-awareness, balanced processing, internalized moral
perspective and relational transparency is analyzed. The article
analyzes the implications of the model to the leader today and
identifies practical steps for developing authentic leaders. Authentic
leaders help organizations to sustain competitive advantage. Extant
literature focuses on studies with practical implications for authentic
leadership. The paper generally conceptualizes authentic leadership and
authenticity in leadership.