Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 8

Final - Essay Example Driven by the need to nurture my abilities and address my weaknesses I have focused on the resources addressed throughout this semester. Throughout the course, I have realized that I have what it takes to be a leader. This has been informed by various leadership tests I have taken and the reasonably high scores I have registered. However, lack of a guide and a model through which I can nurture the requisite skills has been a major challenge. All the same, I can now recognize a leadership theory that provides a rationale on what I need to work on to be a respectable and inspiring leader. This theory has also been critical in providing a means through which I can construct certain strategies that would provide a means of developing the attributes associated with the type of leader I envision. Authentic leadership theory is a contemporary leadership theory. It emerged in the late 1990s from a broad field of scientific inquiry that highlights positive organizational phenomena leading to enhanced human well-being (Marquis & Huston, 2009). The theory enforces that for one to be considered a leader he must be true to himself and his values and act accordingly. This explains why some scholars also refer to it as congruent theory this is because the leader must match his activities, deeds and actions with his values, beliefs and principles. There are five characteristics which differentiate an authentic leader with the other leaders. The first characteristic is purpose. An authentic leader understands clearly both his purpose and passion. This understanding is nurtured by an ongoing process of self reflection and self awareness. The second characteristic is values, an authentic leader has a clear link between purpose and passion as this is informed and sustained by a clear matc h with his beliefs and actions (Nichols, 2008). The other characteristic is heart an authentic leader looks after his own affairs and has a genuine concern for the