Authenticity in Authentic Leadership of Higher Education Institutions in Uganda: a Case study of one Private University in Uganda

Abstract

This article explores the concept of authenticity in authentic leadership in higher education institutions (HEIs) using the case of one of the private universities in Uganda. Authenticity has become the gold standard for leadership in organizations to make impact. The cognitive dissonance theory used in this study describes authentic leadership as one that knows its own self through self-discovery. Qualitative data was collected from 30 participants through interviews. Document review and participant observation were conducted to supplement the interviews and content analysis was done to appreciate the qualitative data. The research questions addressed were; 1) Is authentic leadership about owning one’s personal experiences? 2) Why has the concept of authenticity of leaders become popular in administration today? The study found that authenticity of leadership has become a game changer in organizations today. The study concluded that authenticity of leaders has become a gold standard in management today because it necessitates owning one’s personal experience (self-awareness) not only as an ethical behavior but also highly valued in administration. The implication of the study was that authentic leaders have best human resource practices aligned to both the short-term and long-term strategic goals of an organization.