“Authenticity” as a Moral Virtue: A Conceptual Framework for Perceived Leader Authenticity

Abstract

As a reflection of the on-going controversies related to whether an internalized moral perspective should be included in theories of authentic leadership, this paper introduces virtue ethics to the scholarly conversation. It argues that authenticity is inherently a moral virtue that resides in the leader’s character. As such, external perceptions of leader authenticity are essentially about moral judgment. Based on recent empirical evidence in moral psychology, this paper further illustrates why character judgment is more relevant than the judgment of actions in the overall moral judgment of leader authenticity. More specifically, it matters more for leaders to be perceived as possessing the moral virtue of authenticity rather than simply displaying authentic actions, such as being consistent. Thus, recognizing different types of signaling behaviors related to leader authenticity is extremely important, since behaviors that signal the moral virtue of authenticity are more relevant than behaviors that signal authentic actions. Theoretical, empirical, and practical implications of this framework are also discussed.