Dayanara1

Authentic Leadership and How it Impacts Organizational Change

Dayanara Pena

South Texas College

ORGL 4342: Organizational Change

Dr. Jennifer Guerra

June 18, 2023

 Dayanara2

Authentic Leadership and How it Impacts Organizational Change

Authentic leadership is a leadership approach that emphasizes the leader's ability to be

true to themselves and their values, while also building relationships based on trust and

transparency. Authentic leaders are honest and open with their followers and prioritize building

meaningful connections. This approach is grounded in the belief that authentic leaders can

inspire greater commitment and motivation from their followers, leading to improved

performance and greater organizational success (Focusing On Change, Saylor Academy, 2012,

p4). Theory O, on the other hand, also is a management theory that emphasizes organizational

change through a focus on organizational culture and values. Theory O suggests that successful

change requires a deep understanding of an organization's culture and the values that underpin it,

and that change efforts should be designed to align with these values. The two concepts are

related in that both emphasize the importance of authenticity and values in leadership and

organizational change. Authentic leaders who embody their organization's values can inspire

greater commitment and motivation from their followers, while change efforts that are aligned

with an organization's values are more likely to be successful. By focusing on authenticity and

values, leaders can create a more positive organizational culture and drive meaningful change.

Authentic leadership and trustworthy leadership are closely related concepts that are both

essential for creating a positive and productive work environment. Authentic leadership

emphasizes the importance of being true to oneself and leading with transparency and honesty,

while trustworthy leadership focuses on building trust and credibility with employees through

ethical and reliable behavior. In this way, the two concepts are intertwined and complementary,

as an authentic leader must also be trustworthy in order to foster a culture of openness and

collaboration within their organization. When an authentic leader demonstrates trustworthy

leadership traits and creates a positive and meaningful culture within their organization, they can
 Dayanara3

also drive positive change. By building a culture of trust and respect, an authentic leader can

create an environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. This

can lead to increased innovation and creativity, as employees feel empowered to think outside

the box and come up with new solutions to problems. “As Brian Tracy suggests earlier,

trustworthiness is important to all human relationships, but it is essential for leadership

effectiveness and the ability to prepare for and drive organizational change”(Focusing On

Change, Saylor Academy, 2012, p28). Additionally, when employees feel valued and supported,

they are more likely to take risks and try new things, which can lead to positive change within

the organization. Here are some ways that an authentic leader can demonstrate trustworthy

leadership traits in a business or organizational context: Lead with integrity: Authentic leaders

lead with integrity, which means being consistent and ethical in their actions and decisions. They

hold themselves accountable for their behavior and actions, and they expect the same of their

team members. When leaders model integrity, they build trust and credibility with their

employees. Communicate clearly and consistently: Authentic leaders communicate clearly and

consistently with their employees. They provide regular updates on the company's performance

and goals, and they explain their decisions and actions in a way that everyone can understand.

When leaders communicate effectively, they build trust and clarity.

An authentic leader who leads with integrity and accountability can also drive positive

change within their organization. By setting an example for their team members, they encourage

everyone to take responsibility for their actions and to strive for excellence. This can lead to a

culture of continuous improvement, where everyone is working together to achieve better results

and to make positive changes within the organization. Overall, when an authentic leader

demonstrates trustworthy leadership traits and creates a positive and meaningful culture within

their organization, they can drive positive change and innovation. This can lead to improved
 Dayanara4

performance, increased employee engagement and satisfaction, and ultimately, greater success

for the organization as a whole.

The left shows a small graphic image for the two dimensions that create organizational

change from Focusing on Organizational Change, Saylor Academy, 2012, p53- Figure 4.1. I only

discussed the first dimension that pertained to my research, which is trustworthy leadership and

its traits. The right is a supportive figure found on one of the peer reviewed articles that is

researched from Kleynhans, 2021. Pg 5. Precariousness was not discussed thoroughly on

authenticated leadership, but it can affect employees that have a certain fear of power dynamic if

they don’t trust their leader to have trustworthy traits. The graph relates to my research, as it is a

good illustration of my information.

Next, is how theory O and authentic leadership share a common focus on building strong,

healthy, and sustainable organization. Authentic leadership emphasizes the importance of being

true to oneself and one's values, while Theory O focuses on creating a culture of learning,

experimentation, and continuous improvement (Crook, N, Journal of Organizational Change

Management, 2021). One way in which Theory O can provide organizational change is by
 Dayanara5

fostering an environment of trust and open communication. When employees feel empowered to

participate in decision-making processes and share their ideas and concerns, they are more likely

to feel engaged and invested in the organization's goals. This can lead to increased motivation,

creativity, and innovation, which can in turn lead to improved performance and outcomes. Below

is a representation of a building foundation for trust. Not all of it is related to my research, but a

few that are reflected.

Another way in which Theory O can provide organizational change is by promoting a culture of

learning and development. By investing in people's skills and knowledge, organizations can build the

capacity to adapt to changing circumstances and remain competitive in the long run. This requires a

commitment to ongoing training and development, as well as a willingness to embrace new ideas and

approaches. Authentic leadership can support these efforts by creating a sense of purpose and direction

for the organization, and by fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. Authentic leaders lead by

example, and their commitment to their values and principles can inspire others to follow their lead.

This can create a sense of shared purpose and commitment that can help to drive organizational change

and transformation.
 Dayanara6

As mentioned from Crook, N, Journal of Organizational Change Management, 2021,

although the literature assumes that both authentic leadership and O theory can influence

organizational change, most leaders, like teams and organizations, see themselves as the factors

that can change or transform themselves without thinking clearly for the rest of the employees.

For the most part, team mentality and culture were seen as key values and collaboration is what

needed to change and brought to attention.

In summary, Theory O and authentic leadership share a common focus on building

strong, healthy, and sustainable organizations. By fostering a culture of trust, open

communication, and continuous learning and development, organizations can build the capacity

to adapt to changing circumstances and remain competitive in the long run. Authentic leadership

can support these efforts by creating a sense of purpose and direction, and by inspiring others to

follow their lead.

7
 Dayanara7

References

Focusing On Change, Saylor Academy (2012)

Focusing On Organizational Change.pdf

Zimmer, S. M. (2021). Authentic Leadership. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

https://discovery.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=c70fe52b-5c8c-3f34-b9a4-

a8b32c1df60b.

Kleynhans, D. J., Heyns, M. M., & Stander, M. W. (2021). Authentic leadership and follower

trust in the leader: The effect of precariousness. SAJIP: South African Journal of Industrial

Psychology, 47, 1–10.

https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v47i0.1904

Crook, N., Alakavuklar, O. N., & Bathurst, R. (2021). Leader, “know yourself”: bringing back

self-awareness, trust and feedback with a theory O perspective. Journal of Organizational

Change Management, 34(2), 350–365.

https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-05-2020-0131