Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the vulnerability of organisations, institutions, and
society, underscoring the need for new leadership approaches to develop them. This chapter
examines authentic leadership, highlighting the complexity and problematic nature of the
construct. Although scholars have acknowledged its significance and linked it to positive
organisational outcomes, the construct has not progressed beyond its current conceptualisation.
Consequently, the chapter explores the rise of authentic leadership and its limitations,
accentuating the lack of a clear path for developing the construct. To contribute to the literature
on authentic leadership theory, the chapter proposes the authentic leadership plumb line and
discusses its role in facilitating its resurgence within organisations. The chapter concludes that
authentic leadership should be embraced during crises as it enables the alignment of the leader
and follower interaction.
society, underscoring the need for new leadership approaches to develop them. This chapter
examines authentic leadership, highlighting the complexity and problematic nature of the
construct. Although scholars have acknowledged its significance and linked it to positive
organisational outcomes, the construct has not progressed beyond its current conceptualisation.
Consequently, the chapter explores the rise of authentic leadership and its limitations,
accentuating the lack of a clear path for developing the construct. To contribute to the literature
on authentic leadership theory, the chapter proposes the authentic leadership plumb line and
discusses its role in facilitating its resurgence within organisations. The chapter concludes that
authentic leadership should be embraced during crises as it enables the alignment of the leader
and follower interaction.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Leadership During a Crisis |
| Subtitle of host publication | A Focus on Leadership Development |
| Editors | Christian Harrison |
| Publisher | Routledge Taylor & Francis Group |
| Chapter | 9 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781003344629 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781032383552 |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Feb 2024 |
Publication series
| Name | Routledge Studies in Leadership and Leadership Development |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Routledge |
Keywords
- authentic leadership
- authenticity
- balanced processing
- crisis
- internalised moral perspective
- leadership
- plumbline
- relational transparency
- self-awareness