Political Leadership: Discovering Authenticity

Abstract

This chapter examines how elected politicians exercise their role as leaders (managers) of public services by employing three concepts: accountability, trust and authenticity. Political leaders have an obligation to their electors and the public services that they lead. Lord German examines this dual accountability. He maintains that the mediation of political power and leadership through interaction with a permanent civil service offers a rich field for interdisciplinary research. He suggests that authenticity in the political sphere has two dimensions which may not align: political authenticity and organisational authenticity. Lord German argues that both of these offer potential for research and the reinterpretation of authenticity in the political arena.

Citation

German OBE, L.M. (2023), "Political Leadership: Discovering Authenticity", Turcan, R.V., Reilly, J.E., Jørgensen, K.M., Taran, Y. and Bujac, A.I. (Ed.) The Emerald Handbook of Authentic Leadership, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 281-299. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80262-013-920231012