Values of an Authentic Leader

Self-awareness

 It is very important for a school leader to place a major emphasis on self-awareness. According to Gardner (2005) this “personal insight of the leader” is one of the key factors that determines whether or not a school leader is authentic (p. 347). School leaders should also develop a “personality in which a continuous tendency for introspection and investigation of their inner world and feelings” (Pavlovic, 2015, p. 319).  This would imply that school leaders spend time reflecting on how they feel and on what motivates their decision making process. Gardner et al. (2005) further state “gaining self-awareness means working to understand how one derives and makes meaning of the world around us based on introspective self-reflective, testing of our own [beliefs]” (p. 347). This focus allows the school leader to remain grounded with their core personality; it allows them to remain constant during times of stress and distraction, and thus present themselves constantly and consistently to the world in which they work. Fullan (2003) also emphasises the importance of school leaders having to be the lead learners (p. 20). At the school level, this means that a principal should also focus on their own professional learning as a way of keeping informed on best practice and also as a way of leading by example.

 

 

Authentic Relationships

An authentic leader should have a strong focus on authentic relationships. According to Goleman et al. (2002) "relationship skills account for nearly three times as much impact on organizational performance as analytical skills do” (as cited in Reeves, 2006, p. 39). Authentic relationships can best be exercised within educational settings between staff, with students, and with parents and guardians of students (Starratt, 2004, pp. 76-80).


According to Starratt (2008), one of the best areas for a leader to practice authentic relationships is in their daily interactions with students. Knowing a student’s name and hobbies or where that student lives allows the student to feel a sense of belonging and caring within the school. This encourages students to buy into any initiatives and goals that the school leader is trying to implement. Starratt (2008) also highlights the importance of teachers in cultivating authentic relationships with students. By being real with each child, the teacher invites the student into a relationship that helps to promote the dignity and worth of each individual student. According to Fullan (2003), school leaders are the key people responsible for “developing relational trust, both in demonstrating it herself or himself and in fostering a culture of trusted relationships” (p. 43).  There are three primary areas for authentic relationships (Click on the title):



 

 




Transparency, respect, and focus on follower development, direct school leaders towards what Duignan calls “dynamic

influence fields” (Duignan, 2014, p. 164). The school leader should focus on the connections between relationships and

amplify those actions or influences that promote the growth and positive actions within the school environment, while

conversely restrain those actions orinfluences that hinder the school environment.

Moral Courage

According to Sekerka & Bagozzi (2007), moral courage is “the ability to use principles to do what is good for others, regardless of threat to self, as a matter of practice” (as cited by Hannah et al., 2011, p. 577). Moral courage for a school leader is a critical factor in determining the actions and directions that will be taken within the school. A leader with moral courage will be willing to take the risks that are needed to improve the school. According to Freeman & Stewart (2006), “it is not about the leader as an individual, it is about something bigger – the goals and dreams of the organization” (p. 4). This implies that the leader is able to recognize the value of the success of the organization over his or her personal ego. Fullan (2008) provides an example of how moral courage can be applied in the real world of educational thought and discipline. Fullan (2008) encourages school leaders to become system leaders, people who work to improve the overall progress of a school district or regional area of schools. At first it would appear that this is a self-serving, self-promotional motivation; however, it falls under the example of moral courage because it allows a leader to make decisions and provide direction that in the end can “help improve other schools” as a collective effort (Fullan, 2008, p. 56).