Alternative Title
Examining mindful self-regulated attention and political skill as antecedents of leader authenticity and leadership effectiveness
Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
4-2021
Abstract
Despite much research on leader authenticity, its antecedents remain poorly understood. We develop a self-regulatory model of leader authenticity. The model explains how both mindful self-regulated attention and political skill, as well as their interaction, are important for leaders to be authentic, and ultimately effective. Mindful self-regulated attention – a core dimension of mindfulness defined as sustained attention centered on the present moment – helps leaders stay connected to their core self amid the busyness of their (work) lives, allowing leaders to feel authentic. And, particularly in combination with political skill – a social effectiveness construct –, it helps leaders interact with their employees in a way that is experienced as authentic and effective. In an experimental study with leaders (Study 1) we found that leaders who mindfully self-regulate their attention feel more authentic. In a two-wave multi-source field study (Study 2) we found that leader self-regulated attention was positively associated with employee perceptions of leader authenticity and effectiveness. Further, this relation was stronger when leader political skill was high. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of this research.
Keywords
authentic leadership, leader authenticity, leader effectiveness, mindfulness, political skill, self-regulated attention
Discipline
Human Resources Management | Leadership Studies | Organizational Behavior and Theory
Research Areas
Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources
Publication
Human Relations
Volume
74
Issue
4
First Page
473
Last Page
501
ISSN
0018-7267
Identifier
10.1177/0018726719888260
Publisher
SAGE
Embargo Period
11-7-2019
Citation
DIETL, Erik and REB, Jochen.
A self-regulation model of leader authenticity based on mindful self-regulated attention and political skill. (2021). Human Relations. 74, (4), 473-501.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/6418
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726719888260
Included in
Human Resources Management Commons, Leadership Studies Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons