Superintendents from eight southeastern United States school districts self-described their leadership styles across the choices of autocratic, laissez-faire, democratic, situational, servant, or transformational. When faced with this array of choices, the superintendents chose with arguable equitableness, indicating that successful leaders can display any of these styles. Their choices, however, seem unrelated to any discernible personal, professional, or district demographic variable. The authors propose that, regardless of leadership style, authenticity within the style may be needed for effectiveness. They discuss the implications for this in terms of professional preparation programs, administrative careers, and selection, professional development, and assessment processes for governing boards.
AvolioB (2007) Promoting more integrative strategies for leadership theory-building. American Psychologist62(1): 25−33.
2.
AvolioBGardnerW (2005) Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership. The Leadership Quarterly16: 315−338.
3.
AvolioBGardnerWWalumbwaFLuthansFMayD (2004) Unlocking the mask: A look at the process by which authentic leaders impact follower attitudes and behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly15: 801−823.
4.
BegleyP (2001) In pursuit of authentic leadership practices. International Journal of Leadership in Education4: 353−365.
5.
BirdJWangC (2011) Authentic leadership and budget-building practices: superintendents reveal origins, strategies, and connections. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal, 15(3): 143–160.
6.
BirdJWangCWatsonJMurrayL (2009) Relationships among principal authentic leadership, teacher trust and engagement levels. Journal of School Leadership, 19(2): 153–171.
7.
BirdJWangCWatsonJMurrayL (2012) Teacher and principal perceptions of authentic leadership: Implications for trust, engagement, and intention to return. Journal of School Leadership, 22(3): 425–461.
8.
BransonC (2007) Effects of structured self-reflection on the development of authentic leadership practices among Queensland primary school principals. Educational Management Administration & Leadership: 35(2): 225−246.
9.
BuckinghamMCoffmanC (1999) First Break all the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers do Differently. New York: Simon & Schuster.
10.
EaglyA (2005) Achieving relational authenticity in leadership: Does gender matter?The Leadership Quarterly16: 459−474.
11.
EndrissatNMullerWKaudela-BaumS (2007) En route to an empirically-based understanding of authentic leadership. European Mangement Journal25(3): 207−220.
12.
GardnerWSchermerhornJ,Jr (2004) Unleashing individual potential: Performance gains through positive organizational behavior and authentic leadership. Organizational Dynamics33: 270−281.
13.
GeorgeBSimsPMcLeanAMayerD (2007) Discovering your authentic leadership. Harvard Business Review85: 129−138.
14.
GoffeeRJonesG (2005) Managing authenticity: The paradox of great leadership. Harvard Business Review83: 87−94.
15.
GoffeeRJonesG (2006) Why Should Anyone be Led by You? What it Takes to be an Authentic Leader. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.
16.
IliesRMorgesonFNahrgangJ (2005) Authentic leadership and eudaemonic well-being: Understanding leader-follower outcomes. The Leadership Quarterly16: 373−394.
17.
JensenSLuthansF (2006) Relationship between entrepreneurs’ psychological capital and their authentic leadership. Journal of Managerial Issues18: 254−273.
18.
LuthansFAvolioB (2003) Authentic leadership development. In: CameronKDutton and R QuinnJ (eds) Positive organizational scholarship: Foundations of a new discipline. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 241−258.
19.
MichieSGootyJ (2005) Values, emotions, and authenticity: Will the real leader please stand up?The Leadership Quarterly16: 441−457.
20.
NorthousePG (2013) Leadership: Theory and Practice (6th edn). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
21.
ShamirBEilamG (2005) ‘What’s your story?’ A life-stories approach to authentic leadership development. The Leadership Quarterly16: 395−417.
22.
SparroweR (2005) Authentic leadership and the narrative self. The Leadership Quarterly16: 419−439.
23.
SpritzerG (2006) Leading to grow and growing to lead: Leadership development lessons from positive organizational studies. Organizational Dynamics35(4): 305−315.
24.
WalumbwaFAvolioBGardnerWWernsingTPetersonS (2008) Authentic leadership: Development and validation of a theory-based measure. Journal of Management34(1): 89−126.
25.
YammarinoFJDionneSDSchriesheimCADansereauF (2008) Authentic leadership and positive organizational behavior: A meso, multi-level perspective. The Leadership Quarterly19(6): 696−707.
