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Purpose-In a context of great complexity, many authors have focused on the beneficial effects of leadership flexibility (Denison et al., 1995), a capacity theoretically associated with mindfulness. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the relationship between mindfulness and behavioral flexibility in leaders. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected from two samples: 100 active leaders from diverse economic sectors and 62 students pursuing an executive MBA degree. Findings-The results show that mindfulness is positively associated with the overall score for leader flexibility, and with its two dualities: self-assertive and directive vs collaborative and supportive, and long-term strategy vs short-term execution. Specifically, four of the five dimensions of mindfulness (nonreactivity, nonjudging, acting with awareness and describing) were positively correlated with the overall flexibility score. Practical implications-The results suggest that by developing mindfulness, managers might be better able to adapt their leadership style to the demands of different situations. To that end, interventions based on mindfulness are worthwhile options for use within organizations, particularly in the context of leadership development programs. Originality/value-While most models of leadership assume a linear relationship between certain leadership behaviors and performance, other voices suggest that effective leaders need to possess great behavioral flexibility so that they can adapt with agility to the multiple needs of the people and situations around them. Few studies have examined the factors that may play a role in leadership flexibility.

In this article, we examined the psychometric properties of a French translation of the Authenticity Scale created by A. M. Wood, P. A. Linley, J. Maltby, M. Baliousis, and S. Joseph (2008, The authentic personality: A theoretical and empirical conceptualization and the development of the authenticity scale, Journal of Counseling Psychology, 55, 385-399). In the first study (N ϭ 188), we assessed the reliability of this translation as well as its construct validity and discriminant validity from the Big Five personality traits. In the second study (N ϭ 437), we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to confirm the factorial structure found in Study 1 and the factorial structure obtained by Wood et al. (2008). The results show that the psychometric properties of the French Authenticity Scale are comparable to those of the original English version. The scale has both good scale score reliability (␣ ϭ .77 to .82) and temporal stability over an 8-week period (r ϭ .54 to .69). It is based on a three-factor solution explaining 60% of the variance. The scale shows discriminant validity from the Big Five personality traits and is related to both subjective and psychological well-being. This article provides a valid and reliable instrument in French that measures dispositional authenticity and will be useful to clinicians, counselors, and researchers.