Gregg Reynolds
As leadership develops within the changing world, there is more and more at stake with leadership choices and decisions. Taking business as an example, people’s livelihoods can be at risk if they choose to follow the wrong leader. Organizational collapse has been seen, especially recently, when leaders lead down the wrong path. People are rightfully experiencing trust issues with leadership. “In 2001 and 2002, one high-flying company after another crashed, in a spreading scandal about accounting irregularities, illegal loans, and insider trading.” (Bennis, 2009, p. 18) The theories behind authentic leadership recognize this and the need for a leader to build trust through truth and authenticity.
Surely, we all know leaders whose authenticity and ability to forge trust were strong components to their leadership. There are components of behaviors and traits within some of the authentic leadership models and approaches outlined in this chapter. According to the Bill George Authentic Leadership model, there exist dimensions of purpose, values, relationships, self-discipline, and heart associated with the characteristics of passion, behavior, connectedness, consistency, and compassion (Northouse, 2016).
As I read the chapter, I imagined Abraham Lincoln as one that may embody authentic leadership. He had clear purpose, values, and heart when he stood against the southern states on slavery. Even though it meant the fracturing of the nation, he stood firm that he was doing the right thing. In doing so, he earned the trust and followership of others that too knew he was taking the morally correct position. Was he taking the politically expedient standpoint, or the stance that would gain him the most friends? Absolutely not. He took the right stance and people respected and trusted him for it. Did Abraham Lincoln put on false faces, or alter his behavior to try and mend the rift with the South, again no.
“Authentic Leaders are those who embrace those who speak valuable truths, however hard they are to hear.” (Bennis, 2009, p. 22) I think this is something that Lincoln would have taken to heart.
Luthans and Avolio also posit a set of Positive Psychological Capacities for one to serve as a foundation for authentic leadership. These are “Confidence, hope, optimism, and resilience” (Northouse, 2016, p. 204). Lincoln truly understood these facets in his tenure in the presidency. Also, his personal life was fraught with loss of many family members, including a son. Because he had these characteristics, he was able to unite a the north around a moral stance and do what needed to be done. Lincoln is seen as one of the countries great leaders due to his authenticity and trust that he forged.
Bennis, W. (2009). On Becoming a Leader. Philadelphia: Perseus Books.
Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, Inc.