How Authentic Leaders Build, Maintain or Lose Credibility

What is necessary for a leader to be considered authentic? Leadership authenticity requires transparency, balanced processing of information, ethical conduct, and self-awareness. When authenticity in leadership is demonstrated, this study found followers show positive interpersonal behaviors. Likewise, when leaders exhibit behaviors that are inauthentic, negative behavior is fostered. This study examined the elements of leadership credibility, namely; trustworthiness, expertise and dynamism. Finally, the study confirmed the influence of leadership authenticity and credibility in workplace productivity in an academic medical center. There is little research evidence that the attributes of leadership authenticity are antecedents to leadership credibility. This study shed some light on this relationship.