Enacting the ‘true self’: Towards a theory of embodied authentic leadership

Abstract

This paper argues that although authentic leadership may be rooted in the notion
\nof a ‘true self’, it is through the embodiment of that ‘true self’ that leaders
\nare perceived as authentic or not. In making this claim, we consider ways in
\nwhich a somatic sense of self contributes to the felt sense of authenticity, and
\nhow through engaging with somatic cues, leadership can be performed in a way
\nwhich is experienced as authentic, both to the leader and to those he or she
\nseeks to lead. In developing our ideas further, we draw from the acting theory
\nof Stanislavski (1936a, 1936b, 1961) to explore how authentic dramatic
\nperformances are created, focusing on the role of emotional memory, the magic
\n‘if’ and physical aspects of performances. We propose three key components of a
\nresulting theory of how embodied authentic leadership is created: self exposure,
\nrelating, and making leade