DanielleJacques

OGL300:TheoryofLeadership
ProfessorAllen
31July2016

Assignment#5

Returningtotherootsofnewparadigmsonleadershipresearch,transformationaland
authenticleadershipfocusonthebehavioraltraitsofleadersthatspeaktotheirqualityasleaders.
Thoughtheydivergeintheirnovelapproachestoleadershipinsevereways.Transformational
leadership,thoughitmaybepowerfulandinvolveemotions,values,ethics,standards,andlong
termgoalsislimitedinthatitconsidersonlyfollowersmotivesandthemethodsleadersuseto
intrinsicallymotivatethem(Northouse,161).Whiletransformationalleadershipcertainlyspeaks
totodaysworkgroups,whowanttobeinspiredandempoweredtosucceeditnotablyfailsto
takeintoaccounttheauthenticityofleadersmotivationsandtheirleadership,anextremely
importantelementconsideringthegravitywithwhichtransformationalleadersaffecttheir
followercounterparts(Northouse,161).Theanswertothisweaknessisauthenticleadership,one
ofthenewestareasofleadershipresearch.Itssolefocus,atpresent,isansweringthequestion
thatlingersintransformationalleadershiptheory:whatdoweknowabouttheauthenticityof
leadersandtheirleadership(Northouse,195).Notably,however,thestudyisrelativelynew,
especiallyincomparisontoothertheoriesthathavedominatedthiscourse,andassuchcontinues
tomovethroughthedevelopmentalprocesses.
Transformationalleadership,withalongerhistoryofstudyandrecognitioninthefield,
naturallyhasapproacheswithmorerespectandauthenticityinthefieldthantransformational
leadership.ThetwoprincipleapproachesincludetheBassapproachandtheKouzesandPosner
approach.

TheBassmodeloftransformationalleadershipisfocusedonaspectrumbased
understandingoftransformationalleaders.Thisspectrumrangesfromtransformationalleadersto
laissezfairleadership.Theformerincludesallofthefuressentialfactorsoftransformational
leaders:idealizedinfluence,charisma,inspirationalmotivation,intellectualstimulation,and
individualizedconsideration.Movingalongthescale,thesefactorschangeandtheirshiftsreflect
alackofsupportforfollowersinthewaysthat
Contrastingly,KouzesandPosnerapproachwasdevelopedfromtheresearchers
interviewingmorethan1300managersinvariousindustriesabouttheirpreferredexperiencesas
leaders.Followingthestudy,thetwoconstructedamodelofleadershipbasedonacontent
analysisofthedescriptionstheyobtained(Northouse,174).Themodelincludesfiveessential
practicesthatareexpectedtoempowerleadersintheireffortstoengagefollowersas
transformationalleaders.Thepracticesinclude:modelingtheway,inspiringasharedvision,
challengingtheprocess,enablingotherstoact,andencouragingtheheart.Thesefiveareasof
developmentcovertheessentialcommitmentsleadersmustmakeinordertohaveasignificant
andtransformationalimpactontheirfollowers.Thesefiveareasensurethatleadersareclear
abouttheirphilosophyandthevaluesthattheywanttoestablishwithintheorganization.This
setstheinitialtonewhichenablesleadersandfollowerstoshareacommon,compellingvision
whichshapesanddrivesthebehaviorsofallmembersoftheorganization,includingtheleader.
Allstakeholdersareunitedprimarilybytheirpersonalandemotionalconnectiontotheirshared
purpose.
Theleader,specifically,mustbewillingtochallengethecurrentstateandencounterthe
unknownintheirwork.Thisincludesawillingnesstoinnovate,grow,andimprovewithinthe

organization,eventhroughareasthatareunfamiliartotheentitysoriginalsupporters
(Northouse,174).Finally,accordingtothisapproach,leadersenableandempowerotherstotake
actionbybuildinglayersofcooperation,trust,andcollaborationwithinanorganization,they
valuequitehighlytheopportunitytoprofessionallyinteractandcollaboratewiththeir
counterparts.Suchsothattheyarehappytogiveotherstheopportunitytotakealeadingrole
withintheorganization.Thisactionextendstotheiruseofauthenticcelebrationsandritualsto
showappreciationandencouragementtoothers(Northouse,175).Andinthisuniqueway
transformationalleadersarenotsimplyrespondingtotheprojectedneedsanddesiresoftheir
followers,butrespondingwithemotion,care,andcomfortratherthansimplenecessity.
Thoughtransformationalleadersareinspirationalandconnectwiththeircounterparts,the
frenzyofscandals,fraud,anddeceptioninboththepublicandprivatesectorsfromEnronto
ArthurAndersenintheearlypartofthiscenturyhastrulydriventheneedforauthenticity,
honesty,andaccountabilityinleaders.Inthiswayauthenticleadershipresearchneededgreater
supportandattentionthatitreceivedasacomponentoftransformationalleadership.That
demandhassincegivenwaytoablossomingfieldofstudywhichatthispointisconcentrated
principallyintotwoapproaches.
Thefirstapproachisthepracticalapproach,whichexplainstopotentialleadersthe
[necessary]howtostepstobecom[ing]anauthenticleaderandassuchresearcherBill
Georgefocusedonthepracticalcharacteristicsofauthenticleaders(Northouse,197).Inhis
studyofauthenticleaders,Georgenarrowedhissearchtofivebasetraitsthatauthenticleaders
possess:anunderstandingoftheirpurpose,strongideasaboutmoralaction,anestablishmentof
trustingrelationshipswithothers,selfdisciplineandconscientiousdevotiontotheirvalues,and

finallyapassionfortheirmissionnotemanysimilaritiesbetweenGeorgesproposalsandthose
thatKouzesandPosnerpostulatedfortransformationalleadership(Northouse,197).
IncontrasttoGeorgespracticalapproachtoleadership,thetheoreticalapproachto
authenticleadershipcontinuestoemergeasamajorformofscholarship.Thoughthefindingsare
stillrelativelymorelimitedincomparisontothepracticalapproachbyvirtueofthenovelnature
ofthetheoreticalstudy,an2008articlebyWalumbwaisgenerallyacceptedasoneoftheleading
authoritysonthetheoreticalscholarship.Walumbwadefined,authetnicleadershipasapattern
ofleaderbehaviorthatdrawsuponandpromotesbothpositivepsychologicalcapacitiesanda
positiveethicalclimate[and]tofostergreaterselfawareness(Northouse,201).Theoriginal
definitionextendstoincreasinginternalmoralperspective,eveninformationprocessing,and
positiveselfdevelopmentbetweenleadersandfollowers.Thiscomplexdefinitionisarather
accuratedescriptorofthecurrenttrajectoryofthescholarshiponthistheoreticalapproach.
Indeed,thedenotationthatWalumbwaprovidedcanbebrokendownintofourcomponents
whicharethebeginningfoundationsforapossibleattempttoprovideadefinitionforauthentic
leadership.TheyarefocusedonsomeofthesameareasasGeorgesapproach,however,they
focusontheaspectsoftheleadershipratherthantheleader.
Returningtotransformationalleadership,thecasestudyHerVisionofaModel
ResearchCenterpresentsaninterestingconundrumforacleartransformationalleader.Rachels
characteristicsasaprofessionalclearlydifferentiateherasatransformationalleader.Her
positivityandcharismahaveattractedothers,andherinspirationalmotivationhavechangeda
classicapproachtoatraditionalindustry.Furthermore,herconnectionswithwomeninthe
workplace,andtheindividualizedconsiderationdemonstratedthroughheremployeepolicy

demonstrateherdedicationtotheseprincipalareas.Clearly,however,theorganicgrowthofher
organizationhaslimitedRachelsroleindrivingforwarditscultureanditsdecisions.Though
transformationalleadersare,bydefinition,comfortablewithotherstakingondecisionmaking
rolesintheirorganization,Rachelhasbecomealmostcompletelydisconnectedfromthemain
processesofhercompany.Assuchshenolongerservesasarolemodeltoallofheremployees,
andtheeffortsheputforthindrivingthesharedvisionamongstthecompanysstakeholdershas
beenpartiallylost.
MyargumentforRachelsactionisprincipallyfocusedonmaintainingRachelsvisionin
thefaceofthemetamorphosisthathasoccurredinherabsencefromthecompanyhelm.
Focusingsolelyontheprinciplesoftransformationalleadership,anyadvisementwouldbe
difficult,consideringtransformationalleadersareexpectedtobewillingtostepintothe
unknown(Northouse,174).Notconsideringthiselement,Rachelmustmakeadecision.Either
fullyembracetheleadershipstylethathashelpedhercompanysucceed,ormoredirectlypilot
theorganizationtowardthesharedvisionthatoriginallyenableditssuccess.Ifsheoptedforthe
former,Rachelneedstoputotherindividualswhohaveahighlydevelopedsetofmoralvalues
andselfdeterminedsenseofidentityinvisiblepositionswithintheorganizationsotheycan
serveasstrongrolemodelsfortheprinciplesandattributesonwhichICCRwillbemodeledon.I
wouldalsorecommendthatRachelinvolveherselfwiththetalentandhumancapital
managementprofessionalsathercompany,dependingontheirstancewiththecompanysearly
goals.Sheneedstobuildaaculturearoundthatearlysharedvision,andhaveadirectpresence
thatletsheremployeesinvolvethemselvesinthecultureoftheorganizationandhelpshapeits
meaning(Northouse,175).Alternatively,Rachelcouldabidebythedesiresofherstrategic

planningstaffandmovethecompanyinanewunknowndirection,andattempttotakecontrolof
theculturethatisbornofthatnewdirection.
Equallyintriguingisthecasestudyinchapternine,ALeaderUnderFire.Havingread
MortensensThreeCupsofTea,Iamquitefamiliarwithhisallegedpersonaljourney.Insome
ways,hisstoryfitsthemodelofauthenticleadership.Acriticallifeeventshiftedhismoral
perspectiveandallowedhimtoengageinanewformofmoralreasoning.Thisselfawareness
requiredhimtoodevotehimselftothatjourneyandeventuallytotheCentralAsiaInstitute.
However,hisconductfollowingtheCAIssuccessandtheclearunwillingnesstocounterthe
chargesbroughtagainsthimdoesnotspeaktothepassionforthecauseandthinkingauthentic
leadersaresupposedtoposses.Inthisway,thereseemstobeadividebetweenMortensons
transparencyastheCAIgainedmomentum,acclaim,andquitenotable,financialcapital.His
inabilitytocontinuehispivotofhonestandethicalbehaviorinlightofthesuccessoftheCAIs
endeavorsreflectshislackofinternalizedmoralperspectivefollowingthereleaseofhisbook.I
wouldarguehisresponsetotheseveryallegationsdidnotsupporthisclaim.Authenticleaders
arepassionatefortheircauseandtheirbeliefs.Forsomethingthathetookwithsuchseverity,
Mortensonwasvirtuallysilentontheissue,quietlyavoidingreportersatbooksignings,and
issuinghalfheartedstatementsinresponsetothethreatofinvestigation.WhileIwouldnotargue
thatemotionisasubstituteforpassion,alackofemotioncancertainlybeconnectedtothekind
ofapathynotpresentinanauthenticleader.
Hisbehaviorfollowingthereleaseofthebook,intermsoftheCAIsfinancial
management,andhislaterresponsetocriticismarenotatalltypicalorrepresentativeof

authenticleaders.Thereis,however,evidencethathedidatonetimepossessthetraitsand
componentsassociatedwithauthenticleadership.
Inmypersonalexperience,authenticleadership,whenitisfoundcanbeoneofthemost
powerful.Ibelievethisisnotnecessarilybecauseoftheinherentpowerofauthenticity,rather
theinherentweaknessofitsopposite.Toomanyprofessionalsandleadersareinpositionsthat
theyfindundesirableandunsatisfying.Theirlackoffulfillmentwiththeprocesscontributesto
theirownroleasnegativeinfluenceswithinanorganization,andtheirpresencecanbe
dishearteningtoworkers.Ihavefacedthisintoomanyprofessionalexperiences,buthavebeen
absolutelyamazedattheirpolaropposites.Frankly,intheindustriesthatmycareerhastakenme
through,Ibelieveitisraretofindacaseoftrueauthenticleadership,however,Ihaveseenmany
casesoftransformationalleadership,andevenfeltitsimpactonmyworkproduct.Thoughthe
connectionthatonedevelopswiththesekindsofleaderscansetthetoneforanorganization,the
authenticcomponenttoleadershipiswhatenablesanorganizationtosustainconsistentorganic
growtheveninthefaceofdifficulties.
Iaskedtwocolleaguestofillouttheauthenticleadershipassessmentquestions,
answeringwhattheybelievedtobetrueofmyself.Surprisingly,Ifoundthatthelevelof
authenticitypeoplesuspectedofmeasaleaderwashighlydependentuponourpersonal
relationship,oratleasttheextentofpositivepersonalcontactinourprofessionalrelationship.

References
Northouse,P.G.(2015).Introductiontoleadership:Conceptsandpractice.LosAngeles:Sage
Publications.