Enacting the ‘true self’: Towards a theory of embodied authentic leadership

Abstract

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c tThis paper argues that although authentic leadership may be rooted in the notion of a 'true self', it is through the embodiment of that 'true self' that leaders are perceived as authentic or not. In making this claim, we consider ways in which a somatic sense of self contributes to the felt sense of authenticity, and how through engaging with somatic cues, leadership can be performed in a way which is experienced as authentic, both to the leader and to those he or she seeks to lead. In developing our ideas further, we draw from the acting theory of Stanislavski (1936aStanislavski ( , 1936bStanislavski ( , 1961 to explore how authentic dramatic performances are created, focusing on the role of emotional memory, the magic 'if' and physical action in performances. We propose three key components of a resulting theory of how embodied authentic leadership is created: self exposure, relating, and making leaderly choices.

Sartrean bad-faith? Site-specific social, ethical and environmental disclosures by multinational mining companies

“…Ladkin and Taylor (2010) view authenticity as being one's true self. Having attained the state of nothingness, which is the pure being of an individual's self, the individual then begins to attain authenticity.…”

What Are Good Leaders Made Of? Finnish School Children’s Descriptions of Leadership

“…The essays depicted the leadership narratives of friendliness, diligence and enthusiasm, and deliberation and determination. These features can also be viewed from the perspective of authentic leadership (see e.g., Gardner et al, 2011;Gill & Caza, 2015;Hyvärinen, Uusiautti, & Määttä, 2015;Ladkin & Taylor, 2010) and its four elements of self-awareness, relational transparency, ISSN 2162-6952 2017 www.macrothink.org/jse 186 balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective (see e.g., Avolio & Gardner, 2005;Gardner et al, 2011;Gill & Caza, 2015).…”

“…It has been characterized in many ways (see e.g., Gardner et al, 2011;Gill & Caza, 2015) and the concept is still young and forming (see Gardner et al, 2011;Ladkin & Taylor, 2010;Nyberg & Sveningsson, 2014;Yukl, 2010). Among others, the following four elements have been included in the definition of authentic leadership: self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective (see e.g., Avolio & Gardner, 2005;Gardner et al, 2011;Gill & Caza, 2015).…”

“…Along with new leadership theories, especially the concept of authentic leadership and its essence have gained plenty of attention in the 21st-century leadership research (see e.g., Gardner et al, 2011;Gill & Caza, 2015;Ladkin & Taylor, 2010;Yukl, 2010). The roots of the theory lean on the positive psychological viewpoint of leadership (see e.g., Avolio & Gardner, 2005;Seligman, 2011;Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson, 2005).…”

Otantik Liderlik Ölçeği: Güvenirlik ve Geçerlik Çalışması

“…Otantik liderlik, 1990'larda sosyoloji ve eğitim alanlarında ortaya çıkan ve liderlik yazınında yeni tartışmaya başlanan bir kavram olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır (Chan ve diğ., 2005 (Ladkin ve Taylor, 2010;Klenke, 2007).…”