Question

Article: Discovering Your Authentic Leadership, by Bill George, Peter Sims, Andrew N. McLean, and Diana Mayer hbr.org | February 2007 | Harvard Business Review

Question: What do the article and book describe as the role of values in authentic leadership? Why are they important to authentic leadership? How do leaders discover their values?

Answer 1

Authentic leadership has been praised for its ability to build a diverse workforce. Authentic leadership has roots in Greek philosophy, specifically the ancient Greek model of cardinal virtues, comprising of prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude. Today, authentic leadership means that leaders prioritize straightforwardness and honesty, while shirking the old-fashioned assumption that leadership requires acting, or a portrayal of a completely different personality while at the office.

Leadership authenticity is the ability to be self-aware, transparent and balanced, while acting in line with your own morals, principles and limitations. Ultimately, this influences the way employees think, behave and feel about their work. It has been shown time and again that authentic leadership is something that motivates millennials.

Like any organisational change, incorporating authenticity as a leadership approach might take time and serious effort. But when you look at the benefits you stand to receive, it is certainly worth making small, but significant changes towards a more honest, open and authentic workplace.

Leaders know what they value. They also recognize the importance of ethical behavior. The best leaders exhibit both their core values and their ethics in their leadership style and actions. Your leadership ethics and values should be visible because you live them in your actions every single day.

A lack of trust is a problem in many workplaces. If leaders never identified their values in these workplaces, the mistrust is understandable. People don't know what they can expect. If leaders have identified and shared their values, living the values daily—visibly will create trust. To say one sentiment and to do another will damage trust—possibly forever. To walk your talk as a leader is the most significant way in which you demonstrate why employees can trust you and that you are an ethical and principled leader.