Authentic Leadership

Larry D. Roper

Oregon State University

LEADERSHIP

• A dynamic process for personal, institutional and social change and engagement.

• Person-oriented process – relationship intensive.

• Process of influencing the behavior of other individuals while fully respecting the freedom of those individuals.

• Building connections and a sense of shared destination

Community• Human context in which people feel nurtured,

sustained and stimulated;

• Where people take responsibility for the physical, social, intellectual, emotional, psychological, and spiritual condition of their shared space;

• A sense of commitment among individuals reflecting common purposes and values, resulting in collective action and shared experiences.

Meaning-makers and Place-makers

• Make meaning of relationships;

• Bring order to chaos;

• Foster connections among the isolated;

• Give audibility to the voiceless;

• Bring visibility to the invisible;

• Pull the marginalized into the center.

Exercising Leadership for the Future

• Name and own organizational issues• Throw off the ties that bind (name the

places where we are stuck)• Acceptance of the dynamic tension• Heal, repair, reconstruct• Model hope and optimism• Seize the energy sources available to

us• Practice generativity

As leaders we must dialogue with ourselves

• Who am I?

 

• Why am I here?

 

• What do I hope to get done?

 

• What do I aspire to create with others?

 

• Who do I want to be in the lives of those who I lead and influence?

Build Community and Lead Towards Shared Possibilities

• What can we collectively accomplish? What do we want to accomplish?

• What possibilities can we jointly pursue?

• How will we elevate out shared humanity? How will we take care of our relationships?

• What will we leave as a legacy for others to enter? How are we showing care for the future condition of our organization?

Building a Leadership Community

• Focus on creative leadership

• Embrace the mission

• Focus on interdependence and shared destiny

• Focus on hope

• Foster pride

• Construct meaningful conversations

How can you use your leadership role to promote a greater sense of community within your organization, while also encouraging goal attainment?

Where must healing take place if your group is to achieve the level of community and leadership towards which you aspire?