Personal Narrative: A Career As An Authentic Leader

One recurring trait among authentic leaders is transparency—being open and genuine with others (Regan, Laschinger, & Wong, 2016; Fusco, O’Riordan, & Palmer, 2016). I have formally led the same team at work for two years. Before being their manager, I was on equal ground with several coworkers for more than five years. Since I was promoted instead of them, I knew feelings would be hurt. Instead of ignoring their feelings, I encouraged open communication with everyone. I explained it was difficult for me, too, to imagine living up to their expectations for failure or success. I individually promised everyone I would be fair and honest with them and hoped for the same in return. Though it was a slow transition, employees reciprocate my openness now. Therefore, we can honestly work as a team to discover solutions which benefit us and our clients. Another strength I have as an authentic leader is self-awareness. Though I have many faults, I am aware of most. Only with that recognition can I improve …show more content…
Moral and ethical dilemmas are common in my profession. I must lead my staff to act in ways that are best not only for our animal patients, but also for their owners. If what is right is not apparent, coworkers commonly seek my input. Recently, a woman purchased an expensive, pure-bred dog after euthanizing two other dogs because of their costly health conditions. When the new dog required an emergency surgery, several of my coworkers wanted to refuse services and send the woman elsewhere. However, I reminded the entire staff of our need to do what is best for patients and clients alike. Since we provide much better care than nearby animal hospitals, the only morally correct thing to do was complete the dog’s surgery—it was best for everyone involved. Continually providing guidance based on strong morals and ethics has improved my staff’s ability to make similar decisions on their