4 minute read
1 Lead Authentically 11 What Is Authentic Leadership?
Adam struggled to answer questions like these, doubting his ability to be competent enough to be principal at Edward Nash High. To compensate for his lack of administrative leadership, he focused on his image, trying to live up to the pressure of how he and others thought he ought to be. He embodied a leadership persona driven by short-term personal victories, taking down anyone who got in his way. But, in doing so, he completely neglected the values that brought him into educational leadership in the first place—values like servanthood and empowering others. That’s when the gap between who he was as a person compared to who he was as a leader began to widen, eventually leaving him guarded, defensive, and unable to fully open himself up to those around him. Now, thinking back, it was at that moment that the trust between Adam and his staff began to wane.
Adam would learn in the days and weeks to come that his inability to remain authentic to himself and to others was the underlying reason his superstar teacher threatened to leave the school. As a principal, there is little doubt your authenticity will have a dramatic impact on you and others, and if you change who you are to meet the challenges you face as a school leader, the consequences may be severe. Or, in the words of writer Eric Jackson (2014), “If you want to keep the most talented members of your team, it’s time you started looking in the mirror and realize the biggest reasons why people quit have to do with you.”
In this chapter, we delve into the question Who am I? as it relates to authentic leadership. We discuss what authentic leadership is and why it matters before discovering several strategies on how to become an authentic leader. You will then have the opportunity to assess your level of authentic leadership and reflect on the impact of your leadership on the wider school community.
What Is Authentic Leadership?
The innermost ripple of our Lasting Legacy model (figure 1.1) asks the question that is the focus of this chapter: “Who am I?” We believe the answer to this question will help you become a more authentic leader and will act as the premier catalyst for your faculty’s belief in you, laying the groundwork for a sustained legacy. Lasting leadership must start from within the leader. In other words, you must realize who you are from within in order to understand how to lead authentically.
The roots of authenticity can be traced back to ancient Greek philosophy’s short yet infamous phrase, “Know thyself.” In his book True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership, Bill George (2007) describes authentic leaders as:
Genuine people who are true to themselves and to what they believe in. They engender trust and develop genuine connections with others. Because people trust them, they are able to motivate others to high levels
Figure 1.1: Lasting Legacy innermost ripple.
of performance. Rather than letting the expectations of other people guide them, they are prepared to be their own person and go their own way. As they develop as authentic leaders, they are more concerned about serving others than they are about their own success or recognition. (p. xxxi)
Scholars define authentic leadership in a variety of ways in their research. Bruce J. Avolio, William L. Gardner, Fred O. Walumbwa, Fred Luthans, and Douglas R. May (2004) say authentic leaders “know who they are, what they believe and value, and they act upon those values and beliefs while transparently interacting with others” (p. 802). Fred O. Walumbwa, Bruce J. Avolio, William L. Gardner, Tara S. Wernsing, and Suzanne J. Peterson (2008) describe an authentic leader as one who “promotes both positive psychological capacities and a positive ethical climate” (p. 94). We have adapted a definition of authentic leadership primarily from the three preceding definitions (Avolio et al., 2004; George, 2007; Walumbwa et al., 2008):
Authentic leaders seek awareness and are true to themselves by aligning what they believe, think, say, and do, to genuinely serve others to the fullest.
Answering the question Who am I? requires an understanding of what author Mark Hall (2014) calls our “roots and reach” (p. 18). Hall (2014) explains that, much like the roots of an old oak tree, there is a part of us far below the surface. The farther down we dig, the more we unearth the root of who we are—our core beliefs and values. There is also a visible part of us above the surface—our branches—revealed to the outside world. Our exposed branches dictate how others see us—our external behaviors, words, and expressions. When our roots take hold, we begin to have a greater understanding of who we are as people and what we can become as leaders. Our roots provide an anchor, helping us stand strong and holding us upright even through storms. When our roots grow and mature, our ability to stabilize and support the environment around us becomes more evident. Our roots provide steady and consistent support, never ceasing, never changing. Our branches are more adaptable,