Authentic Leadership – What is it? How can you develop Authentic Leadership?
Authentic Leadership – What is it? How can you develop Authentic Leadership?

What is Authentic Leadership And How It Is Developed

For any company or organization to ascend, strong leadership skills are required. But what constitutes strong leadership is not the same today as many years ago.

What style of leadership is required? Well, there can’t be one answer. Yet, we can say that being well versed in transformational leadership styles is certainly a good starting point.

Transformation Leadership

Transformational leadership was first actually described in the year 1978 by Burns. Later it was expanded and provided in great elaboration by Bass in 1985.

So, what does it say? According to Bass, there are four major things that make up for the transformational aspects for leadership:

  • idealized influence
  • inspirational motivation
  • intellectual stimulation
  • individualized consideration.

There are different types of tests that help a leader know what areas need development. Many frameworks describe how a leader should act in certain situations, though this is not enough. There is something more important. The most intense aspects are related to ethical behavior which defines this leadership. It also includes the different ways in which leaders as well as followers help each other to advance towards higher levels for both motivation as well as morality.

Getting to Know Emotional Intelligence

Advancing forward, having or learning emotional intelligence is also an important part of the many ways in which leadership develops into the best ways as Goleman says in his book, “Great leadership works through the emotions”.

Why it is so necessary for leaders? It is because Emotional Intelligence helps maintain the balance of speaking and listening.

In a real sense, leaders and their leaderships only work outstandingly when they keep in mind the emotions of their people. This can only happen if the leader has self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management. All of these aspects are related in a continuous cycle with each other. This brings about regulation, recognition, self, and social management for the leader. Goleman’s 1996 model nailed it!

Authentic Leadership

So, we know about transformational leadership and emotional intelligence, let’s talk about authentic leadership. Luthans was first to theorize it. He defined it being a style that works with self-awareness and self-regulation, both of which are very positive behaviors for any leader and their associates that bring about positive self-development.

With this, the leader is more confident, optimistic, hopeful, as well more resilient and morally ethical. He is also very future-focused and gives utmost priority for developing his associates as true leaders too. Aviolo also first described this leadership along with Luthans and he said that these self-awareness elements make them get rid of any pessimistic and manipulative aspects that serve only on a self-basis.

 

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