Importance of authentic leadership and influence of morality and ethics on authentic leaders

Author: Iloka Benneth Chiemelie

Published: 15th of June, 2014

A number of arguments have been raised as to what constitute an authentic leadership in both real application (Gardner & Schermerhorn, 2004; George & Sims, 2007; George et al., 2007; George, 2003; May et al., 2003) and academic literatures (Avolio et al., 2004; Avolio & Luthans, 2006; Avolio & Walumbwa, 2006; Gardner et al., 2005; Luthans & Avolio, 2003). Luthans and Avolio (2003) defend authentic leadership has been defined as a process acquired from both positive psychological capabilities and a highly developed context within the organization, that will bring about both higher level of self-awareness and self-regulated positive behaviors from both the leaders and their associated, and enhancing positive self-development in the process.

Ilies et al. (2005) drew on the concepts of Michael Kernis’s (2003) and highlighted the importance of leader authenticity as:

1.      It enhances the self-awareness of the leader, further boosting their level of emotional intelligence and cognitive decision making process that enhances the effectiveness of their management process.

2.      It brings about unbiased processing, thus offering followers equal right to excel at any stage of the business process.

3.      It brings about authentic behavior and acting, making the leaders more predictive and the followers more focused on directional matters that will bring brighten the leader’s’ perception about them (and in most cases bring bout improved performance in the organization).

4.      It brings about authentic relational behavior from the leader towards the followers. Thus, making it easy for the follower to understand what is needed of them and how they can go about bringing such needs to reality.

In essence, authentic leadership is about being “one’s self”, “being open and reachable”, and being “honest”. It enhances level of loyalty and commitment from the followers to the leaders. It is the right path to enhanced and sustainable performance because the leader always voices out what is needed in the exact manner it is needed. Thus, followers will have no reason to blame other persons but themselves.

Morality and ethics are two constructs that always feature in authentic leadership. As defined by Brown et al. (2005), ethical leadership I all about demonstrating normatively appropriate conducts via individual actions and interpersonal relationships, and also promoting such conducts to follower through a two-way decision making, communication, and reinforcement. As such, it can be seen that ethics and morality are important in authentic leadership because it makes such leaders more principled decision makers that are concerned about their followers and the society at large (Brown & Treviño, 2006); it makes such leaders more willing to do the right thing personally and professionally through honesty, fairness, openness and integrity. Additionally, ethical leaders are well-disciplined and consistent when it comes to matters of ethical standards, and they don’t compromise with these features even when faced with high pressure and uncertainty (Brown et al., 2005). As such, morality and ethics makes authentic leader to “always be themselves.” It makes them to be “authentic.” However, morality and ethics are not the only construct for transforming into an authentic leader.

References

Avolio, B. J., & Luthans, F. 2006. The high impact leader: Authentic, resilient leadership that gets results and sustains growth. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O. 2006. Authentic leadership: Moving HR leaders to a higher level. In J. J. Martocchio (Ed.), Research in personnel and human resources management: 273-304. Oxford, UK: Elsevier/JAI Press.

Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Walumbwa, F. O., Luthans, F., & May, D. R. 2004. Unlocking the mask: A look at the process by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. Leadership Quarterly, 15: 801-823.

Brown, M. E. & Treviño, L. K. 2006. Ethical leadership: A review and future directions. Leadership Quarterly, 17: 595-616

Brown, M. E., Treviño, L. K., & Harrison, D. A. 2005. Ethical leadership: A social learning perspective for construct development and testing. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 97: 117-134.

Gardner, W. L., & Schermerhorn, J. R. 2004. Unleashing individual potential: Performance gains through positive organizational behavior and authentic leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 33: 270-281.

Gardner, W. L., Avolio, B. J., & Walumbwa, F. O. 2005. Authentic leadership development: Emergent trends and future directions. In W. L. Gardner, B. J. Avolio, & F. O. Walumbwa (Eds.), Authentic leadership theory and practice: Origins, effects and development: 387-406. Oxford, UK: Elsevier Science.

George, B. 2003. Authentic leadership: Rediscovering the secrets to creating lasting value. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

George, B., & Sims, P. 2007. True north: Discover your authentic leadership. Jossey-Bass

George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A. N., & Mayer, D. 2007. Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2): 129-138.

Ilies, R., Morgeson, F. P., & Nahrgang, J. D. 2005. Authentic leadership and eudaemonic well-being: Understanding leader-follower outcomes. Leadership Quarterly, 16: 373-394.

Luthans, F., & Avolio, B. J. 2003. Authentic leadership development. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive organizational scholarship: 241-258. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler.

May, D. R., Chan, A., Hodges, T., & Avolio, B. J. 2003. Developing the moral component of authentic leadership. Organizational Dynamics, 32: 247-260.