Examining authentic leadership: Development of a four-dimensional scale and identification of a nomological network

In an effort to develop a measure of authentic leadership, the construct was first defined in accordance with a four-dimensional framework consisting of self-awareness, balanced processing of self-relevant information, authentic action and relational transparency. Next, 126 potential items were drafted to assess the dimensions. Following a sorting procedure, this number was reduced to 75 potential items. To identify items to be retained for the authentic leadership scale, a pilot study was conducted with 117 undergraduate students. Participants in the pilot study completed a survey consisting of the 75 authentic leadership items as well as transformational and charismatic leadership scales. Based on pilot study results, a 19-item measure was created conforming to the hypothesized four-dimensional structure and demonstrating high internal consistency (i.e., coefficient alpha of 0.89 for the total scale). A separate validation study was conducted to validate the factor structure and reliability of the measure, as well as to test the relationship between authentic leadership and three leader behaviors (leading by example, empowering behavior, and authentic action) and three follower outcomes (eudaemonic well-being, perceptions of leader ethicality, and affective commitment). Validation study participants were 222 United States government employees. Participants completed a survey consisting of the authentic leadership measure, transformational and charismatic leadership scales, and measures of leader behaviors and follower outcomes. Factor analysis results from the validation study showed overlap between authentic action and relational transparency items. Validation study results also showed significant correlations between the authentic leadership measure and the three leader behaviors as well as the three follower outcomes. Results from the validation study also revealed a mediating effect for two of the three leader behaviors. Leading by example mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and all three follower outcomes, and authentic action mediated the relationship between authentic leadership and perceptions of leader ethicality. No mediating effects were found for empowering behavior. Results from the pilot and validation studies showed a moderate degree of overlap between the authentic leadership scale and measures of transformational and charismatic leadership. Implications of the findings, as well as assumptions and limitations of the current research, are discussed.