Risking it all: authentic leadership in crisis

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.

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https://research-portal.uws.ac.uk/en/publications/risking-it-all-authentic-leadership-in-crisis