Connecting authentic educational leaders and their followers

Abstract

The success of organizations, including those of an educational nature, is inextricably intertwined with their leadership. The economic and financial woes which plagued the world in recent years have triggered the need for a new generation of leaders. There are various leadership models and styles which may be adopted, including authentic leadership. This may be considered as an emerging leadership model which, however, is quickly gathering momentum. It is a style of leadership which can contribute significantly to the success of an organization, leading to improved work-engagement and performance. One of the reasons for this is that it offers a connection between the leader and the followers, that is, those who are being led. It is not easy to define authentic leadership; very often it is defined as promoting a positive ethical climate, fostering self-awareness, an internalised moral perspective, balanced processing, and relational transparency (Walumbwa et al., 2008). This paper explores and summarizes the main characteristics and traits of authentic leaders, provides a short critique, as well as recommends how authentic leadership can be put into practice.