I have some authenticity issues. That's to say, I have questions around authentic leadership (AL) as a growing issue in our field. AL is intriguing, without doubt. But it raises big questions. I'm wondering where we are as a community on AL, a decade or so after it became a 'thing' in our scholarship and practice.
Here are some questions. Reading across the literature, I can't grasp the meaning of authenticity that's at play. Authenticity seems to have as many meanings as individuals may have selves.
Some of my questions are about evidence. The field's still young so the jury's still out. But are we moving in the right direction re exploration of viability and impact?
Most of my questions relate to power. Some of these intersect with diversity (eg possible 'authenticity traps' for women managers; cultural differences). Others concern the concept of authentic followership. To me, AL (if we are still talking about position power here, which I think we are), seems a piece of cake compared to the vulnerabilities of upward authenticity in organizations. Can we authentically call for this and if so, where ..... in what kinds of organizations?
I'll stop here with a question. Is AL a new example of a classic issue in OD... the question of how to bring positive (values) change to the (inescapably) political arenas that constitute organizations? Political skills are essential in these efforts and I wonder whether AL facilitates or sidelines that issue.
I'm glad to see the recent call from Dorianne Cotter-Lockard for proposals for a new volume on AL. It looks like the collection will touch on many of the issues raised in this post and I look forward to it.
Meanwhile there's no time like the present for a conversation about whether AL is the real deal. I'd be interested in hearing colleagues' views.
Cheers,
Patrice