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Reply to Authentic Leadership Discussion 2
Q – Please read the discussion below and prepare a Reply to this discussion with comments that further and advance the discussion topic.
Please provide the references you used.
Ensure zero plagiarism.
Word limit: 250 words
Discussion
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/s10551-023-05330-2
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/HelmuthArticle.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