An Authentic Leader of Today (and Tomorrow)

One of the newest developments in leadership studies is the focus on the complexity of social entities. Of course, societies are social systems, and so are organizations. My interest in the Macro-view on leadership was sparked by my involvement in the LEAD Institute and their fantastic work on Executive Development and Organizational Culture Change. Everybody who has ever worked in a company will be able to tell interesting tales about how people did what and why. They will be able to describe prevailing values, rituals and symbols, the work climate, dress code, and the kind of gossip at that work place,  as detailed as they can talk about the purely professional aspects. Humans are social beings, and we just can’t help our desire for involvement in a certain culture, and that way we sometimes help create, perpetuate or destroy an organizational culture.

What has all this to do with Authentic Leadership, you ask?

My interest in Authentic Leadership will be extended to the whole organizational context. It's no secret that authentic leaders will thrive in some contexts but not in others. The details I have yet to figure out.

For now I’d like to refer you to a recent NYT interview with a young top executive and CEO of an online company called Zappos. His responses to an interview at the Corner Office are baffling. His level of unbelievable maturity and personal depth is combined with his sparkling youth and genuine concern for his company in the most inspiring way. He talks about organizational culture, the potential of weird people and – authenticity.

Enjoy the read!