by Arlacia J. Leite
One of the most difficult aspects of leadership is striking the balance between showing genuine concern for one’s employees and maintaining professional distance. Numerous stories of corporate demise due to greed and dishonesty have led to a broad demand for leaders to display a more “human side” by connecting with those they lead on a more emotional level. A stronger emphasis is being place on Authentic Leadership. A leader who adheres to this theory must always be acutely aware of the needs of those she leads without becoming too familiar. The process of striking the right balance of intimacy with employees can be a difficult and complex process. Leaders need to actively work to equalize the components of their professional relationships with their followers; one should be “close enough to know your people, distant enough to lead them.” (Welch, 2007)
Authentic Leadership can mainly be explained in three ways. “Interpersonal” explains authentic leadership stems from the bond between leaders and followers. There is a symbiotic exchange from the development of “strong honest relationships” initiated by the leader. The second “Intrapersonal” quality requires a leader to be self-aware and present herself with candor and integrity to employees. The third, “Developmental” is distinctive in that it presents the assumption one can learn or develop into being an authentic leader based on experiences or events.
Reactions of followers to Authentic Leaders heavily influence workplace outcomes. For this reason it is imperative for leaders to remember to adhere to company and professional guidelines to ensure employees still have a clear understanding of performance expectations to ensure they remain secure, yet productive. Leaders hold a great influence over the work environment. They set the standards for operations. Authentic Leaders have the capacity to impact their employees in a very positive way. Additionally, it has been “proposed that, when facing major obstacles, followers of authentic leaders experience more positive emotions and less relationship induced negative emotions and are able to regulate their negative emotions more effectively.” (Humphrey, 2008)
A drawback to the theory of Authentic Leadership is that despite the maxims surrounding its success it is not yet a fully developed theory. A main area that remains ambiguous is the moral component. An example of this difficulty with providing the moral piece is in the case of globalization. “Leaders show difficulty with maintaining their moral integrity and remaining true to their personal beliefs when immersed in other cultures with differing value systems. How does such a leader read social cues, process varying cultural information, and enact appropriate behaviors without abandoning the important internal standards that are central to his or her identity?” (Gretchen Vogelgesang, 2009) Those who rely on leaders to display consistency with upholding company values and rules at all times, regardless of the situation cannot afford weakness in this area.
Leaders should continually be guided by strong moral purpose. They should strive to develop and display characteristics that inspire the same of their staff. This is an important necessity in all industries, from the most conservative to least restrictive work environments. Leaders who can distinguish situations that may or may not reflect the positive image of her or her organization are instrumental in maintaining moral and ethical conduct standards. This is especially important during times when emotional endurance and sound judgment are required by leaders and followers to maintain a professional and cohesive team environment. A Leader who consciously works to practice Authentic Leadership with her employees can benefit by allowing herself to create a comfortable work environment that fosters good relationships and trust in her professional guidance.
Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014, June). Economic News Release. Retrieved November 2014, from United States Department of Labor – Bureau of Labor Statistics: www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm
Gretchen Vogelgesang, R. C.-S. (2009). The Role of Authentic Leadership and Cultural Intelligence in Cross Cultural Contexts. International Journal of Leadership Studies: An Objectivist Perspective , 5 (2).
Humphrey, R. H. (2008). Affect and Emotion:New Directions in Management: Theory and Research. In R. H. Humphrey. Information Age Publishing.
PSU WC – Lesson 12. (2014, September). Lesson 12. Retrieved from Penn State World Campus – Psych 485 Leadership in Work Settings: courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa14/psych485
Welch, S. (2007, March). When Good Women Make Bad Bosses – Knowing What They Are is the First Step. O Magazine .