This week’s lecture is about authentic leadership. Authentic is defined by genuine, original and not a copy. Authentic leadership do not show off and impress other, but they bring people for a common value and motivate them. Authentic leadership can be view in 3 different idea which are intrapersonal which is the value of leader himself, interpersonal which is the relationship between leader and follower and developmental which the leadership develop over a lifetime. Self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency are the characteristic of authentic leadership. Self-awareness is when a leader understands his inner and outer qualities and relate them leadership. Internalized moral perspective is when the leader does the right things, follow the ethics. Balanced processing is when the leader lead with openness, fairness, understand the bias and let follower free to speak. Relational transparency is when there is genuineness, no drama, no hidden agenda and the leader and follower communicate and act honestly. In a previous study, Bill George states that authentic leader brings people together around a common purpose and empower them to step up and lead authentically. Most of the authentic leader had been impact by a crucible. Crucible is a single event or challenging situation in one’s life that set one’s purpose. Several examples of crucible are shared. Howard Schultz, owner of Starbucks. Schultz’s father injured in his job and company do not take responsibility. With that crucible event, Schultz enforced insurance on all his employee, so everyone is insured. Next, Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey came from abusive family and when she became successful, she built a foundation for abused female. The lecturer also shared about her friend who can’t afford to attend tuition class, when he became a teacher, he provided free tuition to the poor. Next, Nelson Mandela faced the apartheid issue and imprisoned, when he was release and became president, he did not pay revenge but even hired the white to be his body-guard. A journey of a leader has 3 phases, first is when one study and fulfill what he needs like a person up to age 30. Phase 2 is when one looking after everyone like a person from age of 30 to 60 and phase 3 is when ones give back to society, encourage other leader and not for profit. A metaphor of a compass is used, the compass is always pointing to true north. The center is self-awareness, the north is the values and principles, the south is supportive team, the west is integrated life and the east is motivation.

In this week, I learn about one must also be authentic as a leader. An authentic leader has characteristic of self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency. One should not seek revenge but help others from the common unfortunate event. Serve the society.