It is a time for change in the way leadership runs business and how it treats their employees. The old hierarchical style just doesn’t work. Employees want to be part of the team and want engagement from the boss. As we can see by the large turnovers employers now experience, and the dissatisfaction and the poor attitude of the employee, something needs to change for companies to be able to retain their employees, create a more harmonious work environment, higher motivation, and to bring some happiness to the work place. It is time for some Authentic Leadership!
What is Authentic Leadership? Well, one quick definition is that it is the authenticity of leaders and their leadership (Northouse, 2016). What that means, looking at the leader, we are looking for someone that is a genuine leader, they lead with conviction, and have the actual experience to lead; they are the real deal (Northouse, 2016). They are good listeners who seeks and is looking for feedback from his team (Fidler, 2013). In addition, the interactions from the leader and the followers is reciprocal. This is where the leader and the followers affect each other (Northouse, 2016). Furthermore, a good leader has a sense of propose. He wants to serve others and they lead by their core values. He is constantly growing and learning from his experiences. Also, for the authentic leader, as they find themselves in new situations, especially difficult ones, they learn from that experience and pass that on to their new team (George, 2015). In addition, a good leader will help break down and simplify complex data (Fidler, 2013). And a good Authentic Leader is very passionate in their mission and want to do what is right and have the discipline in doing the right thing (Northouse, 2016). They also like the challenges and will go the extra mile to help the team understand the challenges, develop, and celebrate the diversity of the team. One of the greatest strengths, in my opinion, is the Authentic Leader is not afraid of developing teammates, he wants to develop them so they can move forward in their career (Fidler, 2013).
An authentic leader can be trained (Northouse, 2016) and here is where their actions speaks volumes. An authentic leader is open to developing into a better person and wants to share their experience with you and your team to help develop you and help you grow and make you a better person!
There are qualities that we should be looking for in an authentic leader. The first quality is that the leader understands their purpose (Fidler, 2013). Also, do they have solid values and integrity? Integrity is important here! You do not want someone who will bend the truth for their own benefit (Fidler, 2013). Furthermore, you want someone that leads with passion and is establishing solid relationships with his team.
So, doesn’t this sound like someone that you would like to start a career with?! A leader that actually cares for you and the team. A leader who has strong character and is open to his team. The Authentic Leader also have strong values and won’t throw you under the bus to make himself look good. Having these things can only be a win\win for both the employer and the employees. With reduced turnover and a happier and healthier environment, everyone is a winner!
References
Fidler, T. (2013, December 5). Leading the Way. Retrieved from Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning: http://www.harvardbusiness.org/blog/authentic-leadership-0
George, B. (2015, November 15). Authentic Leadership Rediscovered. Retrieved from Harvard Business School Working Knowledge: http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/authentic-leadership-rediscovered
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership Theory and Practice Seventh Edition. Western Michigan: Sage.