04 |
1 2 3
MOTIVATION:
The positive role of
authentic leadership
and behaviour in
organisations
DRIVERS
of authentic
behaviour
OBSTACLES
to authentic
behaviour in
organisations
MAIN RESULTS OF THE STUDY
1
2
3
Companies can create an environment that promotes
authentic behaviour of managers and employees – in
fact, this leads to better results than simply demanding
authenticity in a leadership model. The surveyed
managers report that an authentic leadership stance
has a positive effect on the PERFORMANCE of their
employees and employee teams. Their assumption is
that employees are more likely to align themselves
with authentic managers in times of uncertainty and
that transformation processes have a better chance of
success when led by authentic leaders.
The study demonstrates what features of the corporate
environment are particularly strongly correlated
with authenticity, and suggests ways in which companies
can promote authentic behaviour and leadership.
Accordingly, the strongest DRIVERS of authenticity in
companies are:
> authority that is grounded more in personal expertise
(expert power) than in power vested in one’s hierarchical
position in the organisation
> a corporate culture that values individuality and at
the same time encourages a feeling of belonging
> work processes that enable employees to make
autonomous decisions
OBSTACLES that work against authenticity include, in
particular:
> the sheer size of an organisation or company
> work-family conflict
> “surface acting”, i.e. activities in which individuals have
to display emotions which they do not actually feel
> personal belief systems that affirm the existence of
strong status and power differentials in organisations.
4
5
The study provides indications that companies can, for
the most part, overcome these obstacles to authentic
behaviours if their employees consider their work to
be important and they feel valued and unique in their
organisation.
An intercultural COMPARISON between Germany,
Russia, and the UK reveals that, on average, managers
in Russia are less affected by work-family conflict. Personal
distinctiveness and a sense of belongingness
are equally strong factors influencing authenticity for
Russian and British managers, whereas a feeling of belongingness
is the more important of the two to those
surveyed in Germany. There is also a clear difference
when it comes to the leadership style of line managers:
in the UK, leadership style plays a less prominent
role for the experience of authenticity compared with
its importance in Germany and Russia.
As far as ORGANISATIONAL AND CULTURAL
STRUCTURES are concerned, companies can prepare
the ground for more authenticity and credibility by
finding new models of collaboration and involvement
and new forms of hierarchy. However, this presupposes
a shift to a dramatically different understanding of
transparency, participation and leadership culture.
CONCLUSION: the speed and complexity of changes in
the corporate environment require companies to adapt
constantly and be willing to change at any time. Particularly
in times of uncertainty, managers need to know they
have the TRUST of their employees. With conventional
hierarchical mechanisms breaking down, corporate management
is in need of a new leadership paradigm. Authenticity
in leadership can play a key role in this.