Authentic leadership theory and practice : origins, effects and development

With today's pressures to pursue style over substance, keep up with latest fads, assume superficial and disposable identities (e.g., on-line personas), and compromise one's values to "make the numbers", the challenge to know, show, and remain true to one's real self has never been greater. Facing such pressures, many people are looking for authentic leaders who are genuine, transparent, and trustworthy n leaders who are "real" and can be counted on to keep their word. In this volume, prominent scholars from a wide array of disciplines offer insights on the development of authentic leadership. Contributors consider the dynamics whereby such factors as humor, political skill, emotions, resiliency, and moral and spiritual leadership interact with authenticity to foster authentic leader-follower relationships at dyadic, group, and organizational levels. Contextual factors that may trigger the emergence of authentic leadership, including in extremis or "near death" situations, are also explored. Throughout the volume, contributors focus on how new theoretical perspectives, measures, and intervention strategies can be used to develop authentic leaders and followers. Ultimately, we hope the insights offered will promote a comprehensive research agenda into what constitutes authentic leadership and how it can be positively developed to produce veritable and sustainable gains in performance.

Preface. (B.J. Avolio, W.L. Gardner, F.O. Walumbwa). Advancements to Authentic Leadership Development Theory. Veritable Authentic Leadership: Emergence, Functioning and Impacts. (A. Chan, S.T. Hannah, W.L. Gardner). Moral Leadership: Explicating the Moral Component of Authentic Leadership. (S.T. Hannah, P.B. Lester, G.R.Vogelgesang). Developing Transparent Relationships through Humor in the Authentic Leader-Follower Relationship. (L. Hughes). The Differential Effects of Socialized and Personalized Leadership on Group Social Capital. (P. Varella, M. Javidan, D. Waldman). Leader Political Skill and Authentic Leadership. (C. Douglas, G.R. Ferris, P.L. Perrew). The Internal Theatre of the Authentic Leader: Integrating Cognitive, Affective, Conative and Spiritual Facets of Authentic Leadership. (K. Klenke). In Search of Authenticity: Spiritual Leadership Theory as a Source for Future Theory, Research, and Practice on Authentic Leadership. (L.W. (Jody) Fry, J.L. Whittington). Leadership Intervention Research. Where are We? The Status of Leadership Intervention Research: A Meta-analytic Summary. (R.J. Reichard, B.J. Avolio). Measuring Authentic Leadership. Authentic Leadership Measurement and Development: Challenges and Suggestions. (A. Chan). Perceptions of Authentic Leadership: Exploratory Studies. Leader Authenticity Markers: Findings from a Study of Perceptions of African-American Political Leaders. (T.L. Pittinsky, C.J. Tyson). Follower Emotional Reactions to Authentic and Inauthentic Leadership Influence. (M.T. Dasborough, N.M. Ashkanasy). Moving Forward. Resiliency Development of Organizations, Leaders and Employees: Multi-Level Theory Building for Sustained Performance. (C.M. Youssef, F. Luthans). Authentic Leadership in In Extremis Settings: A Concept for Extraordinary Leaders in Exceptional Situations. (T.A. Kolditz, D.M. Brazil). Authentic Development: Leadership Development Level and Executive Effectiveness. (K.M. Eigel, K.W. Kuhnert). Authentic Leadership Development: Emergent Themes and Future Directions. (W.L. Gardner, B.J. Avolio, F.O. Walumbwa).