Justin Graves

LDRS 5454: Leadership in Diverse Contexts | Dr. Eric Kaufman

Applied Learning Reflection 4 
Article: Critical and Distributed Perspectives

Authentic Leadership by Burke & Cooper

 

Part 1: Purpose & context

This chapter was a part of a larger textbook titled Inspiring Leaders by Burke and Cooper.  Authentic leadership can sometimes encourage questions like “how do you lead those who want to follow?”  But, leadership that is authentic encourages around-the-clock leadership.  One must realize that leadership, including authentic leadership, is about much more than influence.  Authentic leaders have insight, demonstrate initiative, exert influence, have impact, and exercise integrity (Hyatt, 2012).  One of the most important aspects of leadership is the exercising of integrity.  The scope of authentic leadership gives much attention to the notion of around-the-clock integrity, while in formal leadership positions or not.

Part 2: Fundamental & powerful concepts of the article

Now, how does a leader remain authentic at all times? Is that a realistic expectation? Is that actually achievable in a world full of 24-hour vigilance, social media, etc.?  This book, Inspiring Leaders, and more specifically the chapter titled Authentic Leadership emphasize the importance of this constant nature of positive behavior.  That is, if one wishes to inspire leaders, it is important to act in a legitimate, leadership-like fashion in as many instances as possible.  The chapter identifies the main components of authentic leadership as self-awareness, which includes their values, identity, emotions, and motives/goals.  There is also a focus on authentic behavior, where behaving authentically means acting in accord to one’s values, preferences, and needs as opposed to acting merely to please others or to attain rewards or avoid punishments through acting falsely.  For the authors, authenticity is not a compulsive effort to display one’s true self, but is the free and natural expression of core feelings, motives, and inclinations (Burke & Cooper, 2006).

Part 3: Discussion

Frankly, I don’t have too strong of a critique of this chapter.  One of the massive strengths of the article is a concept coined as “positive organizational behavior,” which is basically applying positive technology into the workplace.  POB differs from positive psychology in that it identifies measureable and developable state-like strengths rather than more fixed, trait-like characteristics and virtues.  This concept also overlaps with one of our required texts for this unit, Strengths-Based Leadership by Rath & Conchie.  Rath & Conchie (2008) highlight the necessity for a leader to be able to identify the strengths of their followers, especially when leading a team. In order to inspire their leaders (Burke & Cooper, 2006) they must be able identify the strengths of their leaders in order to facilitate positive leader-follower relationships.

Part 4: Utility

This chapter shares a lot of the utility found in the Strengths-Based Leadership (Rath & Conchie, 2008) text. Although our unit is all about critical and distributed perspectives of leadership, it truly does harken back to our previous unit of follower-centered perspectives.  As I mentioned in class while Heather Evans shared some time with us, I originally was not a big proponent of the strengths-based leadership movement, as I learn more about it, specifically as it relates to inspiring future leaders, I feel more strongly that there is utility in this perspective.

References

Burke, R. & Cooper, C.  (2006).  Inspiring leaders: Authentic leadership.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Press.

Hyatt, M.  (2012).  The 5 Marks of Authentic Leadership.  Helping Leaders Leverage

Influence.

Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008). Strengths based leadership: Great leaders, teams, and

why people follow. New York: Gallup Press.