Authenticity: Management or Manipulation

Harvard Business Review’s article by the business professors Goffee and Jones aims to
depict what the authors address as the paradox of leadership: how to effectively manage
authenticity. It presents different experiences of leaders from distinct industries, gathered
during five years of research, and attempts to characterize what would be the peculiarity of
an authentic (and satisfactory) leader.
The research defends the argument that authenticity is fundamental to develop leadership,
whereas it should not result in uncontrollable expressions of one’s inner self. Followers
tend to identify themselves with leaders that are truthful and consistent. Additionally, they
also have expectations on their superiors’ behaviour, and this is where the idea of managing
authenticity comes. For the authors, a great leader must possess the ability of controlling
what, when and to who reveal their personality traits.
Besides the clear and objective text language, alongside with a coherent structure, it is not
unambiguous to what extent this control can be delineated as management and not as a
manipulation of identity aspects. Furthermore, the case studies that were included may
enhance this argument, since the majority of them discuss situations where leaders had to
conform to what they were demanded and control their true reactions – and therefore
particularities of their personalities.
In summary, despite the journal article’s correct unity, structured content and the expertise
of the authors in the field, the main argument of authenticity management and how it should
be implemented by a leader is not convincing. In parallel, the occasional informal language
and the approach for presenting the various leader’s experiences – without providing
detailed information about the industry and leader’s exact role – influences the credibility
of the complex argument that the article aims to defend. At the end, it actually leaves the
reader with an unsolved paradox: if it is the manipulation and often lack of authenticity
what will truly develop what a company sees as a great and desirable leader.

Reference:
Goffee, R., & Jones, G. (2005). Managing Authenticity: The Paradox of Great Leadership.
Harvard Business Review.