An example of an authentic leader is Eleanor Roosevelt. She was the former First Lady and wife of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. She is seen as a stronger leader just as her husband was. She was outspoken woman, which was a rarity at that time, for topics she had a passion for.
She was born in New York City on October 11, 1884. Her father was the younger brother of President Teddy Roosevelt and her mother was a member of the distinguished Livingston family. Both of her parents tragically died when she was a child forcing Eleanor to live with her grandmother. She was educated by private tutors until the age of 15 and then was sent to an all girls’ school in England. The headmistress took special interest in Eleanor and became a great influence on her. When she was 18, she returned to New York and became involved in social service work. In March of 1905 she married Franklin Delano Roosevelt who was her fifth cousin. They became parents to six children during their marriage. When American entered World War I, she became “active in the American Red Cross and in volunteer work in Navy hospitals” (Biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, n.d.). In 1921, Eleanor’s husband became stricken with polio, which caused her to become increasingly active in politics to help her husband maintain his interest. This is one of the strengths of authentic leadership. “Authentic leadership fills a need addressing public concern for trust in leadership” (Pennsylvania State World Campus, 2015, pp. 6). She participated in various committees in New York.
When she became First Lady, she informed that nation “that they should not expect their new first lady to be a symbol of elegance, but rather ‘plain, ordinary Mrs. Roosevelt’” (Biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, n.d.). Authentic leadership show honest to their followers. Mrs. Roosevelt laid out the foundation of the type of leader she planned to be and followers respected that. She became the first First Lady to hold her own press conference and in an attempt to afford equal time to women, only female reporters were allowed to attend. She stood up for what she believed. When the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused to allow an African American singer to perform, Mrs. Roosevelt resigned her membership. This is the intrapersonal quality of an authentic leader as she is being herself. She traveled during her husband’s presidency around the nation visiting relief projects and surveying working and living conditions. She would report back to her husband what she saw during her trip. This is the interpersonal side of authentic leadership with Mrs. Roosevelt establishing a relationship between her husband and the American people. She became an advocate of the rights and needs of minorities, the disadvantaged, and the poor. She wrote columns detailing her adventures to further connect with her followers. After her husband’s death in 1945, Mrs. Roosevelt continued the public life. President Truman appointed her to the United National General Assembly. She also “served as chair of the Human Rights Commission and worked tirelessly to draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the General Assembly on December 10, 1948” (Biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, n.d.). She served on various other U.N. positions and committees.
Mrs. Roosevelt became an effective First Lady through her use of authentic leadership. Through her actions, she should her followers she was true to her beliefs and ideologies. She supported her husband’s political ambition and paved the way for future First Ladies to be more than their husband’s arm candy.
Resource:
Biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/education/resources/bio_er.html
Pennsylvania State World Campus. (2015) Lesson 12: Authentic Leadership. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/fa15/psych485/001/content/12_lesson/06_page.html