Command and Staff Program

By Readiness Network, Inc.

Leadership in Practice: Authentic Leadership

Replies
462
Voices
239
Dr. Mitch Javidi
Instructions:  
  1. Post a new discussion related to the topics covered in this module.  Your post needs to provide specific lessons learned with examples from this module helping you enhance your leadership capacity at work.
  2. After posting your discussion, review posts provided by other students in the class and reply to at least one of them. 
  • Bernie Woodward

    Authentic leadership is crucial in law enforcement, fostering trust and respect among officers and the community they serve. It goes beyond simply issuing orders. Authentic leaders are self-aware, acknowledging their strengths and weaknesses. They act with honesty and integrity, setting a strong moral compass for their team. They value open communication, encouraging input from officers and fostering a collaborative environment.

  • Justin Haynes

    The five characteristics of a true leader is what hit home and was the most impactful to me. I am struggling with which is most important. I thought that integrity was at first glance and I am still swaying towards this. The Hitler example is the case in point. He got a lot done, despite how awful, however he lied continuously to get there.
    I think there can be good leaders who do awful things and good leaders who do great things and integrity is the cornerstone at times.

  • Clayton Feagins

    The explanation of the five characteristics of a true leader was highly interesting to me. While each is significant, integrity is the most crucial quality. Hitler's analogy was perfectly valid. He showed initiative, intellect, impact, and influence, but he lacked integrity unquestionably. While opinions on whether or not he was a good leader can be debated on both sides, I think that a leader's integrity can make the difference between a good leader and a leader of good, as well as between a legacy that leaves a positive or bad impact.

    • Justin Haynes

      Clayton. I agree here. Integrity is what I am feeling as the most important. I used the Hitler story as well to highlight this.

      Great post. I am struggling right now as to whether or not this is going to be my answer for the essay as I can see them all working together

      Good post.
      Justin

  • This module reinforced my firm belief that integrity is the most crucial quality of an authentic leader, especially within our profession. To me, integrity acts as the guiding principle that shapes and develops the other four qualities of an authentic leader: impact, influence, initiative, and insight. You can’t go wrong with integrity as your foundation - your impact is going to be profound and positive because your decisions will be grounded in ethical and moral values. In my experience, this commitment to doing what is right, regardless of the circumstances, fosters a deep level of trust and respect. In my current role, practicing integrity means my team knows that I stand for fairness, honesty, and ethical practices. I feel that my integrity is what aligns and strengthens the other qualities in me, creating a leadership approach that is both respected and effective.

  • Thomas Shay

    The idea that authentic leaders are comfortable being themselves reminded me of my first shift after my first leadership class. I was a young corporal and I tried using something I learned in this class with an officer on my shift. It was so far from my norm that she immediately called me out on it. This module reminded me of that interaction and the need to be true to yourself and values in order to be an authentic leader.

  • Mitch Allen

    The authentic leadership module is a give-and-take from the supervisor and subordinate. They both need each other to make the organization thrive. The 5 qualities that make up an authentic leader complement each other; therefore, I believe you need all 5 qualities to succeed. For example, it would not be easy to have an impact if a leader did not have initiative first.

  • Reynaldo Gregory

    This was a great lecture.i really liked learning about interpersonal and positive exchange. This is a great tool for team building and bonding. It fosters growth and trust with people your supervising.

  • Lewis Blanchard

    This module was full of depth. The topics discussed here were very thought provoking. I liked the authentic leadership principles that were presented from Belinda Longoria. Specifically, the deepest core values. I think as a leader, it is important that we share our moral perspective, and live every day demonstrating these principles to those around us. It not only shows them what we stand for, but also shows the community that genuine compassion. It is easy to stand in front of a crowd and tout our beliefs, it is entirely another thing to live them out. Your reputation is demolished the moment you are exposed as a hypocrite. People will no longer want to follow you and your agency has lost trust.

    • I agree. As you state, we need to live and breathe our beliefs. By being committed to doing what is right, regardless of the circumstances, we foster a deep level of trust and respect within the community (and the department). Ultimately, this bolsters our influence within the department and the community. For me, integrity has always informed the initiative, making me think closely about any actions I'm taking. Integrity also provides a clear lens for insight, allowing me a better understanding of complex situations and the ethical implications of various decisions.

  • Ben Jones

    This module provided insight of what a true leader is. Being authentic is being honest to yourself and your employees by providing guidance for succession. The five qualities of being an authentic leader: integrity, impact, influence, having initiative, and insight are what embody supervision throughout any job, not just law enforcement. Integrity is the staple which holds the papers together. Without it, your papers become individuals, with it, you bring unity and strength amongst the team.

  • This lecture presented by Dr. Normore was intriguing and thought-provoking. In order to be an authentic leader, we must have the genuine desire to serve others. It must be a continuous and lifelong learning process. When we practice authentic leadership, we will reap positive outcomes, such as, greater bonds created, ethical decisions being consistently made, an unmeasurable level of trust, and understanding the purpose. I enjoyed studying the 5 marks of authentic leadership. Of the concepts discussed, integrity ranks highest. We must be men and women of integrity to truly have a great quality of impact.

    • Lewis Blanchard

      Joseph:

      I like that you pointed out that we must have the desire to serve others. The bonds that are formed when people serve one another are so powerful. You also point out integrity which is so important. I mentioned it in my post, but once your integrity is compromised, people will no longer want to follow you. It is important that we live out what we say and do.

  • The five qualities described of an authentic leader are essential to have if you want to be seen as a true authentic leader. I agree the characteristic trait of integrity lays the foundation for authentic leadership as it ultimately the determines the impact a leader has on their followers. If you a person who practices and demonstrates integrity, and are doing what is right the other characteristics should fall into place and your employees will follow you down the same path.

    • Ben Jones

      Adam:
      I couldn’t agree with you more. I believe in your theory of possessing integrity and what impact it plays on the members of your team and organization. Integrity is the foundation of an authentic leader.

  • Jessica Daley

    The 5 qualities are spot on for a true authentic leader. There are a lot of leaders in my agency and very few authentic leaders. It's easy to tell the difference if you take the time to look. I agree that integrity is the most crucial quality. It is the foundation from which you should base your authenticity as a leader. I think impact is a close second. This goes back to the previous module of legacy. What impact do you have on your followers and what legacy will you leave?

    • I agree. It is very easy to tell the difference between a leader and an authentic leader but most people don't look that hard to identify the differences. By utilizing the characteristics of an authentic leader you will truly leave an impact on your followers, as well as a lasting legacy with your department.

    • Bernie Woodward

      I agree. There are leaders that preceeded me that I try to emulate because they were authentic. Integrity is definately themost crucial quality as everythin else seems to build off of it.

  • Derick Eidahl

    The five marks of an authentic leader were spot on. It would be very hard for someone to be a leader without them. One thing I feel most leaders seem to forget about in establishing relationships with not only their team but other co workers as well. No matter how good the leader is, at some point they will always need some sort of outside help. I don’t think it’s as important as the relationship they have with their team, but it’s definitely crucial to their success.

  • Michael Kathman

    I found the last section of the lecture regarding integrity as the foundation of authentic leadership to be very thought-provoking. It made it very clear that authentic leadership has to be built upon integrity. Dr. Nordmore stated that integrity is how the quality of authentic leadership is determined. There are leaders everywhere but their quality varies. It caused me to reflect beyond the examples used and think about other people that I have knowledge of. The concept held true every time. Those who I considered authentic leaders, in my opinion, all had good hearts.

    • Derick Eidahl

      I with you about integrity. If a leader doesn't have it, no team will ever follow them. Matter of fact I would even go as far to say that person has absolutely no business in our profession let alone in a leadership position.

  • Christopher Kozub

    This topic was really interesting to me, when you speak of authentic leadership, leaders that move up in the ranks need/should want to do it for the right reason! The main goal about moving up should not just be about having rank, it should be about wanting to effect positive change within your agency. Looking at some of the leaders I have in my department, there are some that rule by fear and do not want to change the way things operate for the better, they look for promotion for 2 reason, power and money, which is not a good thing

  • Jon Swenson

    During this module I tried to test each of the leaders I work with by comparison with the 5 qualities of Authentic Leadership. There were some that did quite well in comparison, but I also felt that others did not fair as well. To me, integrity is the most important and pivotal to being authentic. I think leaders can "get by" but need integrity to be credible. I think influence is also very important. A good leader is someone whom you would want to follow.

    • Mitch Allen

      Jon I found myself making the same comparisons of current and former leaders of the different agencies that I worked at. I have noticed that some were the best leaders and people I have ever met. Then others were in it for themselves and their gain. All the great leaders that I know all had and have impeccable integrity as I truly believe this is very important for a leader to possess.

  • Nicholas Wenzel

    Authentic leaders need to lead through initiative and lead by example. This is a critical element in showing the leader as true and genuine. There are a lot of leaders that can talk the talk, but when it comes down to action being willing to go first and lead is a true authentic leader. The initiative the leader shows greatly impacts the following they get from those they lead. It also works to enforce their integrity and the impact they make on the organization.

  • Caleb Tesdahl

    Integrity is the most important quality in an authentic leader. Without integrity you cannot be an authentic leader. A true authentic leader will have skills in all 5 qualities and is something we should all strive for.

    • Jon Swenson

      I agree that all 5 are important with Integrity being the most important. I believe "influence" is also at the top of importance.

  • Emily Warnygora

    I agree that there is a developmental pattern of leadership behavior that comes from positive psychological qualities and strong ethics that are learned over a lifetime. Leaders need to have a deep understanding of what it means to be authentic.

    • Jessica Daley

      I agree. Development is something that happens over your lifetime. If you quit developing as a leader, then you need to step aside and let someone else in that wants to keep growing.

  • Brian J. Blache, Sr.

    After reviewing the module, it is evident that authentic leadership is crucial in law enforcement. Chief Blankenship's guidance on finishing strong, praising publicly, and reprimanding privately demonstrates the practical application of authenticity. Furthermore, identifying leaders' strengths emphasizes the significance of being authentic and self-aware.

    • Brian, I agree that authentic leadership is crucial for the law enforcement profession. I agree that leaders must truly know and understand who they are. We must know our strengths and weaknesses and build upon that baseline to let authenticity show in our actions and life

  • Gregory Sumner

    The characteristics of authentic leaders are they understand their purpose, they have strong values about the right thing to do, they establish trusting relationships with others, they demonstrate self-discipline and act on their values, they are passionate about their mission, they do not compromise their values but rather use these situations to strengthen their values, they build strong relationships and are willing to share their own stories with other and list to other stories, and they are motivated by higher order and values such as justice and community.

    • Brian J. Blache, Sr.

      Yes, authentic leaders possess these important qualities. They are committed to their goals, uphold their values, and establish trust and relationships. They inspire and make a lasting difference through storytelling and focusing on principles such as justice and community. It is a powerful and meaningful leadership approach.

  • Angel Maranto

    If you are an authentic leader, then individuals will not hesitate to follow you. I believe all leaders should strive to be authentic.

    • Gregory Sumner

      Straight to the point and very well said. Nobody wants to work for someone who is not authentic.

    • Michael Kathman

      I agree with you and I would even go one step further. I believe that not only will there be no hesitation to follow, but that individuals will actually be drawn to authentic leadership. And you are right. We all need to strive in that direction. There has to be a level of trust between leader and follower and authenticity opens that door.

  • Lawrence Hurst

    This module focuses on truly being authentic and principles and characteristics that authentic leaders have. This is much needed information because it focuses on the leader knowing and understanding themselves and not focused on others. The 5 marks of leadership insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity should be embodied by all leaders.

    • Reynaldo Gregory

      I agree the best leaders are those that know who they are. How can you lead and understand others if you do not understand yourself.

    • Thomas Shay

      I found it interesting that horrible historical figures that were discussed had 4 of the 5 marks of authentic leadership. This shows the importance of integrity as an authentic leader.

  • Jeffrey Snyder

    At its core, authentic leadership is about being true to oneself and one's values while inspiring others to do the same. This type of leadership requires a high degree of self-awareness and a willingness to be vulnerable and transparent with others. I believe authentic leaders must have insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. I think it starts with integrity, and the rest will follow.

    • Lawrence Hurst

      I agree with your statement on leaders being vulnerable and transparent with others. Leaders need to show that they are normal and have imperfections just like everyone else.

    • Emily Warnygora

      All very well said, Jeffrey. Without integrity, I don't think you can sustain the rest of the qualities.

    • I have always been a proponent of vulnerability as a leader. Sometimes vulnerability can be difficult, especially in the law enforcement profession, but it can be such a building block with followers and letting authenticity show. Integrity is definitely one of the pivotal marks we must hit as a leader if we want to achieve true authenticity. As stated by Dr. Normore, our integrity determines the quality of our impact.

  • I believe that a truly authentic leader must possess the five marks of authentic leadership. Each component that makes a leader authentic complement each other and keeps the leader balanced.

  • Jason Demoulin

    Integrity is the key quality. It is not something that you can turn on or off. You must be consistent or people
    will take notice. You may lack the ability in one of the other qualities and have time to grow but you must have
    integrity at the starting gate. After considering all of the other characteristics, values and qualities, integrity was the
    most prominent one. Think back through your career, did you ever want to follow someone that obviously lacked it.
    How do you want to be remembered?

  • Giovanni Tarullo

    A great leader possesses all of five qualities of an authentic leader. Insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity all play a vital part in a leader creditability and the willingness to gather followers. The most important quality is integrity. Without integrity you will not be judged as a true leader, will be unable to influence others under their command and will have no impact in the agency or with co-workers.

    • Jeffrey Snyder

      I agree with you, Giovanni. Integrity has to be our core value. Without integrity, the other values are overshadowed and will be meaningless.

    • Nicholas Wenzel

      I agree it is hard to show others authentic leadership without having integrity. Without integrity it is hard to gain trust and confidence with any of the other four elements as your followers will never truly know if you are sincere or just acting.

  • Kyle Webb

    There is no doubt that as a leader, it is imperative to incorporate the basic characteristics discussed in this module. Consistently demonstrating strong ethics and values, self-discipline, and integrity are core values that will inspire followers to the same values and actions.

  • Allan Tabora

    When I was presented this module by Dr. Normore, I realized Integrity has to be the most important quality that we as credible leaders must posses. As explained by Dr. Normore, without integrity that is described as our core moral values, the other qualities will not improve our agencies or communities. A leader must be aware of his core values in order to have a vision, to influence and make an impact.

  • Integrity is the most important quality of an authentic leader. If he or she lacks integrity, the other qualities (insight, initiative, influence, and impact) will be absent, making the leader seem fraudulent or non-authentic.

    • Kyle Webb

      I agree with you wholeheartedly about integrity being the most important quality for an authentic leader. All of the other basic qualities of a leader alone will not inspire others to follow if that one vital trait is absent.

  • Jennifer Callaway

    Being an authentic leader is being true to yourself but also encompassing a strong moral compass. Followers will be watching and learning from the leader at any given point. Therefore, the leader should be a genuine model who is able to share and instill their purpose and core values with others, thus leading followers in the right direction.

    • Allan Tabora

      Like Dr. Normore said, there has some pretty evil people that had four of the five qualities of an Authentic Leader, but they lacked the integrity or values. Without looking onto our core values and having a strong moral compass, we will not be successful because our people will see through us.

  • Megan Russell

    Of the five qualities f an authentic leader, integrity is the most important factor to me. We must be our true authentic self. Without integrity, a leader will not display insight, initiative, influence, or impact to their subordinates.

  • Jesse Tallant

    Authentic leadership is being true to yourself and being who you are. If you are confident in your abilities, you can be honest, upright and guide others to do the same. Authentic leaders are also going to have the most real-world experiences. When you have firsthand knowledge, you gain creditability; that’s priceless.

  • Amy Pope

    With each listing of characteristics, principles, and marks of an authentic leader, each list contains value and integrity. A leader must be someone that an individual can follow without question or fear, they must feel as though they are being protected and guided along the correct pathway.

    • Megan Russell

      Amy, I agree with your statement. A relationship of trust must be created by the leader for their subordinates to follow without fear or question.

  • Travis Dunsford

    Trust in my opinion is probably the most important qualities for a leader to get. Being an authentic leader is a great way to achieve this. Trust is the key to developing a relationship with followers and having a team that is able to work together to build the agency and individuals.

    • Amy Pope

      Trust is absolutely the key for any individual to be able to excel as a leader. A leader requires that others are following and without trust followership, or at least sustained followership, will not be present.

    • Jesse Tallant

      I agree, Trust is essential for Authentic Leadership. When you are trusted, you will develop followers, which can lead to legacy leadership.

    • Jennifer Callaway

      Trust is huge in all aspects of leadership and a huge part of the leader's moral compass. Without solid the principle of "deepest core values" the authenticity of a leader will be heavily diminished.

  • Eric McElroy

    Authentic leadership is the best way to lead. When you're genuine, it opens you up to receiving ideas and allowing others to help guide your endeavors. It enables you to think outside the box, giving you better insight into what's happening in the world and how to adapt.

    • Giovanni Tarullo

      Eric McElroy, I agree with you. This allows your co-workers to believe in what you do, what you believe in and your core values. It instills trust and dedication with your team, and creates a welcoming work culture.

  • Bill McGuire

    I think that all of these qualities build and strengthen one another, but I believe integrity to be the foundation. Without integrity, you may still have influence and make an impact on others, but what impact? How are you influencing others? What messages are you sending those that look up t you?

    • Eric McElroy

      Leadership quality rests within the person and how they value the followers. A good leader will ensure that all aspects around them are solid and open to change.

  • This was a great module about authentic leadership. Integrity, to me, has always been the most important skill. This module helped reaffirm that to me. I also enjoyed the descriptions of the characteristics of authentic leadership.

  • Jeffrey Griffin

    This module on the Authentic Leader was exceptional. Among the various skills discussed, I strongly believe that Integrity stands out as the most crucial one. As emphasized by Dr. Normore, without this fundamental skill, it becomes challenging to gain followership from a group.

  • John Lynd

    Integrity is the essential quality of an authentic leader. Without integrity, no other quality can truly be authentic. Integrity is the easiest quality for one to have and the easiest to apply in life and as a leader, yet it is so complex for some to understand. Integrity is the foundation from which every leadership quality and trait should be built. Ultimately determining the quality of impact a leader has on their followers. We should all strive to be the authentic leaders our team members deserve.

    • Jeffrey Griffin

      Agreed, I firmly believe that Integrity is the cornerstone of an authentic leader's character.

    • Bill McGuire

      I agree. Without integrity, you may still have influence and make an impact on others, but what impact? How are you influencing others? What messages are you sending those that look up t you?

  • Chiquita A. Broussard

    I appreciated the discussion on the authentic leadership viewpoints. Over time, leaders can experience them all as they mature. The intrapersonal and developmental aspects have to be strong in order to fully realize the potential of the interpersonal viewpoint. Leaders have to have a sense of self and nurture their leadership traits and insight in order to effectively share their leadership qualities in a leader/follower reciprocal exchange.

  • Josh Cathcart

    This module was a good reminder of the type of leader that we should all strive to be. With the everyday scrutinization of law enforcement, it is more important than ever before to be an authentic law enforcement leader. Being true to your values and beliefs and having the trust of your followers is what makes you an authentic leader. I have worked for authentic leaders in the past, and I have also worked for non-authentic leaders in the past. The biggest difference between the two for me is an authentic leader is honest and trustworthy and a non-authentic leader is neither.

  • Randy Stallworth

    The five qualities of the authentic leader mentioned in this module are the cornerstones of a great leader. The leaders that I have served that met these standards have always earned my trust. We should strive to be this leader.

  • Robert Fennell

    I enjoyed this module and liked that it hit on followership and the need for the followers’ “buy in” and trust. Dr. Normore stated, “deep personal values and convictions win the respect and trust of the followers”. It’s important for leaders to never forget that they need the cooperation and support of those that they lead in order to be successful.

    • Randy Stallworth

      Robert, you are correct, what is a leader without followers? We ourselves must become followers at some point. And must be able to do so.

    • Travis Dunsford

      Robert, I agree with your comments and it reminds me a quote that most people are familiar with, you must learn to be a good follower before you can become a good leader. This module is a lesson on why this quote is so true.

  • I have been in law enforcement for twenty-one years and served in the Army for six years. I have seen authentic leaders that I would follow to hell and back, and I have had some that I almost quit on. Without a doubt, all five characteristics are needed insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. There was one leader that I used to work for that I believed was authentic. It was after he left the department that I learned he lacked integrity. Some things came to light that were criminal acts. I feel the sting of disappointment to this day, and that was over ten years ago.

  • James Mackey

    One of the key lessons I've learned from this module is the importance of exercising integrity as an authentic leader. Integrity allows leaders to demonstrate to their team that they are trustworthy and moral, ultimately enhancing their capacity to lead effectively and gain trust. As Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore's story illustrates, a leader's promise to bring their team home safe and sound is backed up by the integrity they demonstrate in leading by example. Moore was the first one on the field and the last one off, which inspired an incredible level of trust and loyalty from his troops.

    • Jason Demoulin

      James, I totally agree. You must possess all five qualities but integrity is the key. it is something one must work on
      each and every day. People will flock to those with it and flee from those without it.

  • Daniel Hudson

    I enjoyed the embedded video in which Bill George discusses the importance of processing life experiences to grow as an authentic leader; whether it be introspection, reflection, or having someone you trust to be able to share and bounce ideas off of is crucial for growth.

    • Josh Cathcart

      I agree with George, on the importance of having someone you trust to share and bounce ideas off of. Authentic leaders can't exist without relationships with others. Without relationships built with others and/or followers, they can't be authentic leaders.

  • Mitch Nelson

    I think it is important to have a deep understanding of what it means to be an authentic law enforcement leader. We should promote trust, honesty, and integrity to those who follow us.

  • Jason Wade

    In the lesson the components of an authentic leader (insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity) are all components and serve different parts of how a leader interacts with his employees. I think they all serve their place and that they can switch in different intensity depending what their needs are at the time or based upon situational requirements.

  • Patrick Brandle

    I could relate to Bill George’s statements referencing inner work for authentic leadership. He spoke about having real-world experiences, and I feel the old you get, the more life experiences you have. Learning from all the good and bad throughout life is crucial. I agree that honest feedback from people who are not superficial but coming from a truthful place is essential to our growth.

  • Jarrett Holcombe

    I have found throughout my law enforcement and military careers that being authentic to oneself is critical to relationship building. It is obvious to others when someone is “playing a role”. Interactions with these individuals feel fake and forced, which deteriorate environments that should foster relationship building. As leaders, our ability to build relationships is critical to our success and influence. The members of our organization must hold their leaders in high regard. They must see them as trustworthy, genuine, and team oriented to buy-in with those leaders.

    • Patrick Brandle

      Well said, Jarrett. We need to walk the walk and talk the talk while keeping it real and authentic. Those real relationships are a long-lasting foundation for our leadership roles.

    • Jarrett, you hit the nail on the head. I have seen both types of leaders. The authentic leaders you would run through a wall for. The role players, you do the bare minimum for.

  • Patrick Hall

    Authentic leadership is one being able to be true to self and to all that they come across. Being open to say I'm not perfect, I/m human and have made mistakes, but this is what or how i overcame those obstacles. This type of leadership builds trust, openness and cause those to follow you easier. The Authentic Leader must possess the 5 qualities of insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity in order to enhance our leading abilities.

  • Chad Parker

    The information in the module was great. Learning the different versions of how to be an authentic leader was insightful. A couple of the illustrations that stick out to me is treating people with dignity and value; and this should be done regardless of rank. Many more leaders need to hear this and apply it.

    • Christopher Kozub

      Yes! Many leaders forget that they are there to help those that they supervise, when you do not treat people with the simple facts of dignity, they lose interest in the job really quick!

  • Authentic leaders have no hidden agenda. Their goals and mission are not clouded by mistrust and trickery. The Bible says If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. (Romans 12:8) Possessing and implementing all five virtues are essential to being a great person. These go hand in hand with many other traits to be an effective and great leader. Integrity, for one, I believe, is an essential trait. Your word will make or break you. The other characteristics will follow.

  • Elliot Grace

    I enjoyed learning from this module. Dr. Normore covered some very important material and made some great points. In today’s time it’s crucial that not only law enforcement leaders are being transparent, but their followers must be as well. With demonizing police by a spin from the media, there is no room for errors. The five qualities that make up an authentic leader all build upon each other and minus one the following qualities: Integrity, insight, initiative, influence, and impact, the authentic leader becomes nonexistent.

  • Kevin Carnley

    Authentic leadership is important to be successful and to continue to grow as a leader. I like how the 5 qualities build on each other and provide a road map to being a successful leader. I feel integrity is the most important cause without it a leader sis unable to have the proper impact or influence on others. There insight for future planning may not pure without integrity.

    • Mitch Nelson

      Well said Deputy Chief. As I looked over my essay question, integrity was immediately what I felt was the most important quality of authentic leadership.

    • John Lynd

      I agree that integrity is the essential quality of an authentic leader. Without integrity, no other quality can truly be authentic. Integrity is the easiest quality for one to have and the easiest to apply in life and as a leader, yet it is so complex for some to understand. Integrity is the foundation from which every leadership quality and trait should be built.

  • Joe Don Cunningham

    I feel that to be a good Authentic Leader, you need all 5 of the qualities that were talked about in this module. I also feel that without integrity, you are only a leader in name or rank only. To be a true leader that people will be able to follow, you must have integrity to go along with the other 4 qualities to be a truly good and Authentic Leader.

  • Jeremy Pitchford

    Session #015

    Dr. Normore described behaving authentically as acting in accord with one's values and not acting merely to please other people. I thought this was a good description of authenticity.

  • Cedric Gray

    I think everything begins with emotional intelligence, and I agree genuine leaders lead by example. When leaders "go first," they set tone and display readiness and initiative. This bonds others to the leader underscores commonality of purpose.

    • Jeremy Pitchford

      Session #015

      Leaders absolutely should "go first." That shows their followers that the leader believes in the mission and encourages them to do the same.

    • Jarrett Holcombe

      I agree. Emotional intelligence is the foundation that individual leadership is built upon. Weak EQ translates to weak leaders.

    • Jason Wade

      Cedric- One of the best concepts and book I read that I felt was a part of this module was Muddy Boots Leadership: Real Life Stories and Personal Examples of Good, Bad, and Unexpected Results. This goes with the idea that an authentic leader leads from the front and not in the rear with the gear.

    • Cedric,
      Absolutely. Leading by example shows your people you really believe in what you are doing. This is something that I have always believed in and this module let me know I’m heading in the right direction.

  • Cedric Gray

    While all marks of authentic leadership are linked and necessary, when workplace situations are difficult, I think integrity will not only help the leader find resolution but also maintain the trust of those hoping for resolution.

    • Kevin Carnley

      I agree that having integrity is important to help a leader to have influence on others. When a leaders integrity is known it reduces thinks that can negatively impact an agency like rumor's.

  • Joseph Spadoni

    Joseph Spadoni Jr.
    Session #15

    A powerful module to say the least. As leaders, we need to develop and exhibit a powerful sense of emotional intelligence and deep values. We need to promote truth, honesty, and integrity in the daily routine of our work. By following the 5 marks of Authentic Leadership and exhibiting them we will find ourselves on the path to success as leaders. The initiative is one that stuck with me as I always firmly believed in as a leader you should go first and lead by example and never ask others to do something that you wouldn’t do yourself.

  • Paul Smith

    I liked that this showed that just being a leader does not make your subordinates want to follow you. Your followers follow because they believe in you. The followers will observe the leader all the time and pick up the habits and values of the leader. Lead by example and show that you are willing to make your followers better than before.

    • Joe Don Cunningham

      I agree with you Paul. Subordinates will only truly follow the leader who they believe in.

  • Jason Doucet

    Being an authentic leaders is truly a goal that everyone should strive toward daily. There are many instances that some leaders create a false following. The 5 qualities discussed are very important when it comes to what it truly means to be a leader.

    • Paul Smith

      I agree but also know the 5 qualities should be evaluated at every step. Adjust and strive to better than yesterday.

    • Joseph Spadoni

      I agree, that the 5 qualities that were discussed are very important. By exhibiting those qualities you will become a successful leader. As leaders, we must be deliberate and intentional.

    • Angel Maranto

      I agree, Jason; evaluating your authenticity with the five qualities would help you hold yourself accountable to your subordinates.

  • Jimmie Stack

    Dr. Normore, touched on a very important topic of being an authentic leader. When he spoke about Influence as being one of the five traits, he described it as a leader that people catch what they have. Every day when I deal with my staff I try to give them the harsh realities of this profession as well as what is required of them during their duty.

  • Kecia Charles

    All 5 qualities discussed in this module are needed to be an authentic leader. I agree with Dr. Normore, when he stated that learning to be an authentic leader is a lifelong process. One must commit to being authentic for the long haul. Integrity is key to becoming and remaining an authentic leader.

  • Walter Banks

    This module on authentic leadership places a lot of focus on the core of who we are as a person. You can possess some of the characteristics needed to lead people. If you fail to stay true to your values, you will eventually lose your follower's trust and forget what your true purpose was.

  • Lance Richards

    This model said that becoming an authentic leader is a lifelong process. Being an authentic leader to me is summed up as integrity. It's always trying to do the right thing. I believe this encompasses every aspect of law enforcement, from dealing with the public to dealing with other employees.

    • Jason Doucet

      I agree with you Lance. We must strive daily and remember our past experiences to work toward the betterment of ourselves. I also agree with integrity. We must know what we are doing is the right thing to be comfortable with the jobs we do on a daily bases.

  • Mitchell Lofton

    Deputy Chief Lucia said, “being authentic basically means being real.” Too many times, as officers advance through their careers, they will take on the beliefs of those they feel can help them continue to move up the ladder. Unfortunately, they sell out their own beliefs and often find themselves lost when the ones they have tried so hard to appease are no longer with the agency. These officers tend to have a negative attitude when they are no longer part of what they perceive as the in-crowd. However, if we stay true to ourselves and our people, we will get the deserved reward without compromising our beliefs.

  • Tommy “Chris” Weeks

    I believe when I started, I was fortunate to be surrounded by authentic leaders. As the years went on, there became less and less. It turned more into a self-serving attitude only worried about the next promotion or pacifying people so they don't have to make the hard decisions sometimes associated with this job.

  • Lawrence Dearing

    The opening video from Sam Lucia was straightforward…being authentic basically means being real. He later says that it is essential for law enforcement leaders to display genuine leadership to their subordinates and the public that they serve. This is so true. People, especially in our profession can see through a disingenuous person and then credibility is lost. I liked Dr. Normore’s comment in the lecture that authentic leadership means, “know thyself.” If you don’t know yourself and the dissection you’re headed, how can anybody follow you anywhere? Finally, the part about authentic leaders are comfortable being themselves. I can get behind a leader who is charismatic and comfortable in their own skin. It makes me more confident that they are confident.

    • Mitchell Lofton

      I also found the opening video to be spot on. I think it is essential to be real with people, and sometimes my honest responses to others, while admittedly not always the most tactful, are meant as genuine feedback. I can see how some can perceive my straightforward answers as rude, but those that come to me seeking input know, good or bad, I will give them the correct answer, even if it is not the one they would like to hear.

      • Lance Richards

        Mitchell... straightforward answers are not for everyone. Some people like to hear all the facts that lead up to the point, while others like you to get straight to the point. Personally, I like the straightforward answer, but feedback is a must. People will have questions.

    • Daniel Hudson

      I Completely agree, Larry,
      leaders need to know who they are, what they stand for, and the values they believe in. A lost leader is often a distant manager more than an engaged leader.

    • Clayton Feagins

      I completely agree with your statement. Authenticity is key in leadership, especially in law enforcement, where credibility and trust are crucial.

  • Chris Fontenot

    Like Dr. Normore indicated, Integrity is the foundation to becoming a great impact leader. It also seems connected to the other three types of authentic leader as well. The example of Hitler provided clarity.

    • Lawrence Dearing

      I agree, Chris. When I used to think of influential leaders, I of course thought of Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, but I thought of cult leaders such as Manson, Jim Jones or David Koresh as well, able to influence large groups of people. But what these people did, rather than inspire and lead toward good values, is they manipulated and led their followers toward harm, all to satisfy their own selfish ambitions. I am gaining some clarity from this course as well.

  • Authentic Leadership: This was an interesting lecture in that it’s easy to describe what Authentic leadership looks like but in my experience, the five markers are not so easy to put into practice by someone in a position of leadership. This requires a dynamic individual who is focused and can constantly self-cultivate these leadership skills to put people and ethics over status and profit.

    On a positive note, these skills can be developed over a lifetime of trial and error to form a great leader, that’s where the first marker comes to play, Insight. This takes time, only self or shared experiences can provide that marker. In the meantime, team members who are Impacted at the expense of the trial and error can be left in the developing leaders wake if the leader is not self-aware and grounded with Integrity.

    • James Mackey

      Agreeing with the notion that Authentic Leadership requires an individual who is focused and constantly self-cultivating their leadership skills to prioritize people and ethics over status and profit, it takes a great amount of self-awareness for the leader to implement these five markers effectively. Insight, for example, is not something that is instantly developed. It takes time and experience to build a strong foundation of insight.

    • Chiquita A. Broussard

      To your first point, Gerald, it's not easy because not everyone is meant to do it. Everyone has the potential, but decisions along the way, easier decisions, are too tempting when compared to the harder alternative. Self-cultivation is growth. Leaders can't be stagnant. They have to continue to grow in order to promote and foster growth as times change.

  • Matt Wieland

    I think that so much of a leader's success is related to their ability to be a servant leader. If a person takes a promotion solely for status or pay, they will not be on the right path to authentic leadership. If a person takes a promotion to serve his staff, better his agency, and leave a lasting impact on others they are on the right path to authentic leadership. I also appreciated the idea of getting to know your staff on a personal level, and to have a reciprocal relationship with them. I have found that people are much more willing to help you if you are open to helping them when they are in need.

    • Kecia Charles

      I agree Matt. If we accept a position for the wrong reason, it will definitely be seen through their leadership. As leaders, our goal should be to leave a lasting impact on our team as well as our agency. This takes hard work and dedication to achieve this but authentic leaders will rise to the call.

  • Andrew Weber

    I have learned something about myself. I tend to be a people pleaser. Yes, I have my values, but at times, with some of my people, I would rather keep the peace instead of holding them accountable. This module has helped me to realize this. In speaking with someone I trust, I received the proper feedback from them (which was hard to hear, but I needed to hear) that I was this type of a person at times. Hearing this bit of information, in addition to the material I have learned in this module (and others to be honest), I have realized one of my faults and have already taken steps to improve upon them. I aint saying it is going to be easy, but I want it to happen, to make myself and in turn others around me better.

  • Devon Dabney

    There was a lot of helpful information in this module that spoke about an authentic leader. Authentic Leaders have the drive to impact the lives of those in their team. Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine. Leaders must act with integrity in order to build trust with their team.

    • Matt Wieland

      I agree that self awareness and emotional intelligence are extremely important to an effective leader. Introspection is a trait that not all LEO's possess, but I have seen it be the difference between a healthy and balanced career, versus one filled with negativity and regret.

      • Chris Fontenot

        Matt, I agree on the importance of having EQ in leaderships. Using the skills and just treating people fairly with wanting to give time for any explanation needed has removed conflict from o many situations throughout my experiences.

      • Tommy “Chris” Weeks

        I think more than anything, this class has provided a means of introspection. With almost every module, I am learning more about myself and what I need to correct.

  • Kent Ray

    We need to try to begin to instill authenticity in officers from the beginning since every officer is a leader. Imagine what it would have been like to come up in an organization where the rank and file, supervisors, and command staff were truly authentic with each other. Imagine an agency where that is the cultural norm. An agency where those without personal and / or personal integrity, or the capacity for authenticity are not tolerated and quickly behave themselves out of the organization.

  • Jeremy Harrison

    Authentic leadership is a desire of every employee I know. Followers want to know their leaders and have a legitimate relationship. Followers enjoy times when leaders humanize themselves by revealing who they are, what they believe, and where they have been. The authentic leader does not try to conceal their own mistakes and shortcomings but instead openly discusses those shortcomings to build trust and relationship. We unfortunately have too many leaders who portray a façade that they are without flaw, never make a wrong decision, and feign concern for others. Every follower can spot fake emotions and concern. Leaders who constantly speak poorly of others are quickly found out. Followers will always discuss the values of the leader be those values good or bad. Like many of the other modules, we as law enforcement leaders must reject selfishness, and commit to the future of our profession no matter our personal outcome. We cannot take our ranks, retirements, or money with us, but we can leave a legacy of integrity future generations of officers can enjoy.

  • Jeff Spruill

    One of Bill George's essential qualities of leadership is "a genuine desire to serve others." I would be interested in some discussion about how we develop this both in ourselves and in other leaders who we influence. It seems that for new leaders who haven't already developed a servant leadership style, this is one of the hardest qualities to develop. Many of us are ambitious and competitive people, and I have had a few lieutenants (first-line supervisors on our department) who had some difficulty transitioning from high performing competitor to servant leader. In one or two cases, this difficulty has manifested itself in the lieutenant using their position to claim privileges, equipment, and time for themselves while not granting these to their people. Their people noticed this and felt resentful, but I found it very difficult to help those lieutenants see their effect on others and to convince the leader that their service to their people is the most important quality to leadership. I don't think that there is any quality so inherent that it can't be developed in someone for whom it isn't natural, but this particular quality has proven difficult and I wonder how we can help leaders for whom is does not come naturally to see the need for it and to begin to develop their capacity to serve.

    • Jeremy Harrison

      Jeff,
      I believe I have written about some of these same root concerns in many of our discussion posts throughout this course. In my opinion, selfishness is the number one quality killing law enforcement leadership. Whether it is someone’s next promotion they are fighting for, next position, or pure status, too many law enforcement leaders put themselves before the organization. Some leaders are very short sighted in life to think their rank and status carries much weight. We have had leaders who were in high positions for very long times, who in my opinion, were not strong leaders. Those leaders are no longer here and after years in high positions, there is no clear positive legacy left behind. Those leaders are not discussed, their legacies are not felt, and it is as if they were never here. I believe they would have achieved those same ranks had they committed to servant leadership, focusing more on others than on self and thus leaving a positive legacy behind.

  • Michael McLain

    I believe great leadership starts with honesty and trust. Having integrity, for me personally is the greatest trait. If you have integrity and strong morals you will achieve trust and commitment from followers but with that said we need to have a mixture of all.

  • Dan Sharp

    Dr. Normore said integrity is the foundation of being an authentic leader and I could not agree more. This should be the foundation in both our personal and professional lives. By exhibiting integrity and initiative you create a level of trust with your followers. I have always lived by the example of not asking someone to do something I myself was not willing to do.

    • Kent Ray

      I agree that integrity should be the foundation of our personal and professional lives. Officers see though those who try to push a double standard by telling subordinates one thing and not living it themselves. The same for those who portray themselves a having strong integrity at work, but their personal lives are littered with evidence of a the contrary. We need a way to screen out those with a lack of integrity, who are in pursuit of promotion. If they are broken as officers, they will be probably stay broken as supervisors. We shouldn’t subject officers to this type of supervisor.

  • George Schmerer

    Authentic leadership is important regardless of rank. It is a valuable skill to develop. As Dr. Normore stated it is important to operationalize what it means to be an authentic leader. In this module, there were several key discussion points on the power of being an authentic leader and what the potential outcomes would be if you developed this skill. The theme that stuck out to me throughout this module was that authentic leader is confident in their values and beliefs, and this is reflected in how they interact with others. It is also important to understand as a leader you need to put the work in, and not just tell me what needs to be done. Showing the initiative to your team, building that relationship of mutual trust and respect will create credibility and buy-in from those who will follow.

    • Jeff Spruill

      I also appreciated Dr. Normore's techniques to operationalize authentic leadership. Because these qualities are aspirational, it doesn't usually occur to us that we can "measure" them in order to gauge how we are doing. To that end, the "five marks of authentic leadership" help to provide a way to do so. These terms may not exactly be measurable, but the do provide a way for each of us to be introspective about our leadership. We can ask ourselves and others we work with and trust how we are doing in the areas of Insight, Initiative, Influence, Impact, and Integrity. We can then work intentionally on areas where we feel we could be doing better.

  • Matt Lindsey

    Authentic leadership and living by you values and beliefs is important in law enforcement and life in general. In leadership, I believe people are more likely to follower someone who has convictions and their actions match the words they speak. Being mindful of your actions and words and making sure they align with your beliefs is critical. I absolutely agree with Dr. Normore's description of "initiative" and the importance of leaders not sitting on the sidelines and not asking someone to do something they are not willing to do themselves.

  • Deana Hinton

    I thought the view points of authentic leadership offered a lot of clarity on how multi-faceted the concept is. The intrapersonal view, what goes on inside of a leader, reminded me that how we feel about ourselves, and our self-concepts directly impact how we act. Thus, it is important to monitor how we are feeling daily to minimize less than optimal performance. The developmental view, traits within a leader can be nurtured and occur over a lifetime, allowed me to consider that although life history is important, traits can be developed to mentor new leadership. Finally, the interpersonal view, the relationship between a leader and followers, reminded me that learning and growth are mutual and both are dependant upon each other. Keeping these views mindful allows to have a healthy point of reference as we navigate our leadership journey.

  • Rodney Kirchharr

    While I feel that everyone knows that Authentic Leadership is vitally import to the organizations ability to grow, this module really delves deep into the why that is the case. Without authentic leadership then we will struggle to continue to get followers. Without the leaders being willing to listen to the followers and gauge the reaction that the followers have from the leaders then we will fail to get new authentic leaders in the agency. The ability of the leaders to be authentic is required for a strong bond between them and the others within the agency.

  • Jared Yancy

    Authentic leadership can be considered everyday life and your morals. A leader should always be honest and authentic with themselves and others. Sometimes leaders can be one way at work, while their "true" personality emerges outside of work. It is up to the leader to show people their authentic side. Leaders are sometimes called actors by their subordinates and not trusted because of their actions. Leaders do not act one way in private and another in public; they do not hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak. True authentic leaders will fix their wrongs and improve things in front of their subordinates.

    • George Schmerer

      This is a great post. It is often easy to play a role or be an actor to subordinates because the supervisor is afraid of showing their weaknesses. I find this especially true in law enforcement, we are often our own worst enemies when it comes to supporting and developing each other. However, I have seen those who work with their subordinates and are upfront with their weaknesses but have a great sense of followership, due to the mutual trust and respect that has already been developed. That is why I think it is important to develop this skill early on in your career. Those that work with you need to that you are honest and authentic first before they will follow you regardless of your rank.

  • Adam Kronstedt

    I am currently go through a difficult time with a leader on an interpersonal level. He is losing his leadership because he has lost all relational ability, and has shown that he does not have a desire to serve. His authenticity has been questioned for some time by many in my organization, but I have chosen to give him the benefit of the doubt and support him up until now. I owe it to him to be authentic. To be true to myself, and to lead up the chain of command to him.
    I appreciate what has been personal challenges to me by going through this course.

  • Steven Mahan

    In this module, I like how Dr. Normore pointed out that not all successful leaders have the positive qualities that we hear about and try to aspire to become. Dr. Normore recognized that leaders like Hitler were effective at leading but lacked the moral compass. As law enforcement, our leadership is centered on bettering ourselves to better society. The five qualities of leadership (insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity) are needed to be not only leaders but to work our agency's vision.

    • Matt Lindsey

      I agree. Dr. Normore presented several effective leaders who did not have integrity. It is essential that law enforcement leaders be authentic leaders and have integrity and a strong moral compass as discussed in this module. It is not good enough to attain the other four qualities if you have to sacrifice integrity to achieve it.

      • Michael McLain

        I agree with you Matt. If you have integrity and strong morals the rest will fall in place.

    • Steven, I appreciated Dr. Normore’s connection of the markers to historical villains as well. Although I don’t agree with Hitler’s Moral Compass, he was an Authentic Leader with all the markers. Thankfully, his paradigm did not come to pass.

  • Kimberley Baugh

    Authentic Leadership is being real. You lead based on your own beliefs and values. In this module, we learned about the three different viewpoints: intrapersonal, developmental, and interpersonal. We also learned about the four authentic leadership principles: thought process, emotional intelligence, inner driver, and deepest core values. Dr. Normore also spoke about the five marks of authentic leadership: insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. My takeaway from this module is to always be yourself. Stick to who you are and what you believe in and do not waiver from it. Influence your people with your good choices and show them how authentic leaders conduct themselves.

    • Adam Kronstedt

      Kimberly, Thank you for that. I need to stick to who I am and to what I believe in especially in my current situation. I am hopeful that my organization will not suffer greatly from the tumultuous year ahead of us (Sheriff's campaign year). Authenticity will prevail.

  • Dustin Burlison

    Most experienced professionals, especially in law enforcement, will see a leader for who they are almost immediately. If someone is leading for personal gain, it will be evident in how they interact with their team. This module reminds us to be authentic leaders and how we can make sure we show our authenticity.

    • Jared Yancy

      Very true! Professionals will see a leader for who they are almost immediately. In law enforcement, leaders often become leaders for personal gain and not because of the good they could do within the agency or the community. Being your authentic self in your everyday life will allow you to be an authentic leader in the workplace.

      • Dan Sharp

        Great point Jared. I believe we all all should practice being authentic in our everyday life. By practicing being authentic in our character, beliefs and ethics all the time then it will carry over into our work life. Be leading by example in both our officers will see that we are truly authentic. If we only attempt to practice at work an not in our lives they will see right through it.

  • Stephanie Hollinghead

    Being authentic is being the real deal, being yourself, and doing what you believe and know to be right. No one wants a fake leader. Those who pretend to be something they are not will not remain on top and they will not be regarded for excellence. Authentic leaders earn respect from their teams because they are true to the heart, and they treat others with respect. I believe true authentic leaders must have insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. These qualities along with strong values and passion will build strong relations within the organization.

    • Rodney Kirchharr

      Stephanie - You are so correct. We all know the person, or persons, that we came up with in Law Enforcement who were not authentic and when we think back on those people most of us wanted to be as far different from them as possible in our careers.

  • This was a great module. Authentic leaders are needed, especially in public safety organizations. Officers and the public long for leaders that they can trust and have confidence in. The leaders must possess all the qualities of an authentic leader to be effective. Above all integrity is the most important. It is the foundation of an authentic leader.

  • Trent Johnson

    Many of the topics covered in many of the modules, I feel should be fairly self explanatory, yet, when you start getting into it, you find that there are several layers. Authentic leadership was definitely one of those. The thought processes that go into not only what you do, but adapting what you do to your followers while maintaining your core values is far more in depth than my initial thoughts of "just do the right thing".

  • Joey Brown

    The module outlined that authentic leadership is immensely valuable in building strong relationships and sharing information within an organization. In law enforcement today there is a demand for trustworthy leadership. These leaders have specific values, and don’t compromise them for anything. They always do the right thing. In my opinion, authentic leadership is the guide to develop and the ability to lead.

    • Trent Johnson

      Your last sentence strikes me as extremely insightful, "the guide to develop and the ability to lead". I feel like that sums up this module very well without going too deep into the principles. Well put.

    • Dustin Burlison

      You are right! Trustworthy leadership that sticks to their principles, no matter outside pressures, are more and more rare these days. For fear of looking bad, a lot of leaders these days are quick to sacrifice their teams to save their own skin.

  • Jerrod Sheffield

    This module focused on the Authentic leader and touched on the very thing that we all should have in a leadership role. The 5 qualities of leadership are exceptionally important especially integrity. That is the foundation of being an authentic leader. This is something that makes a leader who he truly is as an individual and how he is seen by others.

    • Tyler Thomas

      Sir, you're absolutely correct, the 5 qualities of leadership are exceptionally important. Integrity is everything.

  • Tyler Thomas

    Integrity is everything. As Dr. Normore stated, it is the foundation for authentic leadership. Without integrity, you will have no followers and the people who may follow you will also no integrity. An authentic leader also has to display the other four qualities of an authentic leader which are; insight, initiative, influence and impact. I believe authentic leaders also have to have the inner drive to be authentic. Developing the five characteristics take a lifetime and should be continually developed.

    • Kimberley Baugh

      I agree with you Tyler. This process of becoming an authentic leader should be the continuous use of these characteristics so the leader can continue to grow and improve his/her leadership abilities.

  • Curtis Summerlin

    Out of the five qualities, Integrity is the foundation as others have stated. Without that starting block all other characteristics will build something but will it be to the quality expected? As Dr Normore said some of the worst leaders in the world possessed some of these qualities but in the end, they could not continue without integrity.

    • Jerrod Sheffield

      Curtis,
      I completely agree that without integrity, a true leader does not exist. They can certainly lead others and be influential as to how they display the other qualities but integrity by far is the most important.

  • Glenn Hartenstein

    After reviewing all five qualities of a leader, I have to agree with most that Integrity is the foundation of authentic leadership. Insight, initiative, influence, and impact are also important qualities for an effective authentic leader. With the recent turmoil in society, we need authentic leaders who are honest and good to help build back trust and confidence in our police departments.

  • Andrew Ashton

    The 5 qualities of authentic leadership are all important but I believe that Integrity is the building block or foundation. Authentic leaders should be a collective of all five. Sort of goes back to, are leaders born or developed. Some people are born with that X factor but if you talk to any great leader or athlete they will reflect back to someone who changed things for them. A mentor, a teacher, or a parent. Someone who helps to form the characteristics and send you down your leadership path.

  • Jared Paul

    I thought Dr. Normore did a great job with this module. We had discussed earlier in Learning Area 1 about authentic leadership and I appreciate more on this topic. I was glad to go over more in depth the three view points of authentic leadership. I liked learning of the view points and can see aspects of my leadership style in each of these points. I also think that especially in today's climate, leaders in law enforcement need to be authentic. We need to show the community that we are here for them during their tough times and are truly invested in their safety and well-being.

  • Donald Vigil

    I really enjoyed the breakdown of the five traits of an authentic leader. While all are important, integrity is the most important trait of all. The example of Hitler was spot on. While he did display insight, initiative, influence, and impact, he definitely lacked in integrity. While there can be arguments made on either sides if he was a good leader or not, I believe that integrity may be a distinction between a good leader and a leader of good, and the difference of your legacy leaving a positive influence or negative influence.

    • Jared Paul

      Donald,

      I also liked the characteristics of an authentic leader. It seems that integrity is a core value for most agencies and I think that this speaks a lot to why that is. An authentic leader is going to express their values and have the other members of the agency wanting to imitate that and really strive for it.

  • Zach Roberts

    The 5 qualities of authentic leadership really stuck out to me in this module. Insight, Initiative, impact,influence and integrity all play a crucial role in being an Authentic Leader. These are things a person possess and can not be taught. They can be refined but someone must possess them internally prior to being a leader. Impact and integrity are the two biggest that stick out to me when becoming an authentic leader. Being of high integrity is important in any role in life but especially in Law Enforcement. Integrity is a must and if you don't possess it, you can find yourself jammed up quickly. Having impact meaning you can make a change and have an impact on someone's career or the organization is also important as an authentic leader.

  • Jeff Byrne

    I really enjoyed this module. The one thing that really stuck with me was when Dr. Normore said your leadership is measured by the impact you have on your followers. Does make you stop and think about what kind of impact you are having on followers.

    • Andrew Ashton

      Jeff is right about realizing what our impact is on those we lead. At this point in all of our careers it is more about the message we project as we try to form the leaders of our agencies future. Living virtuously and with integrity is more important than ever. By following and honing the 5 characteristics you will impact your followers and build your legacy at the same time.

  • Brian Smith

    I see this as one of my strongest leadership attributes. I try to be as real and genuine as possible. I’m a firm believer that our past mistakes, failures, and triumphs should all be used to gauge our future leadership positions, thoughts, and attitude. Above all, I value those who follow and recognize followers as fellow leaders. Trust is a two way street and I must be able to both lead and follow as should those I work with. Too many leaders forge ahead without trust, and instead demand obedience. It is not authentic to push others to come along. It’s egotistical and ill-effective.

    The best part of authentic leaders is the ability to continually develop, grow, morph, and gain new skills. No one should ever assume they have hit the pinnacle and can rest easy. Good leadership is about constant evaluation, self-reflection, change, and growth.

  • Jose Alvarenga

    At the end of this module, we were given the 5 Qualities of authentic leadership ( Insight, Initiative, Influence, Impact, Integrity). These are important to an authentic leader. I believe this is something a person must possess inside and can be refined through knowledge, experience, and training. I would think that a person who doesn't already have some leadership qualities or potential can evolve to be an authentic leader. I may be wrong.

    • Donald Vigil

      I can agree with you Jose, however, integrity is by far the hardest trait to overcome. Though it may take a bit longer, it can be accomplished when followers believe that the leader is truly working on this shortcoming.

    • Steven Mahan

      Jose, I don't believe you are wrong. I think through training and experience; a person can develop the five qualities of authentic leadership. If you were wrong, it would be pointless for us to be attending this training. We've all taken the first step to becoming more authentic leaders and looked at ourselves, then decided to make improvements.

  • David Mascaro

    I enjoyed this module for it's clear, concise and to the point definition and description of what is Authentic Leadership. This is by far the model of leadership that all officers, supervisors and leaders must strive to be and to enhance throughout their careers, especially in the law enforcement environment of today.

    • Zach Roberts

      David,
      I would agree with you. This module had clear, concise information that was straight to the point. I also mentioned in my post that all officers, leaders and supervisors must possess integrity and impact throughout their careers in order to have a safe and successful career in Law enforcement.

  • Being authentic is key when it comes to leadership. The absence of this quality; gives the feeling that you are supervising rather than leading. I try on a consistent basis to have a positive attitude, motivate, and inspire everyone around me. We have to remember our day reflects our attitude and our attitude dictates our day. We have to remain true to ourselves and genuine to our subordinates.

  • Andrew Peyton

    Dr. Normore did a good job presenting the 5 qualities and the order in which they were presented was crucial. Each one of the qualities built onto the next and increased in essentialness.

  • Darryl Richardson

    Authentic leadership, in my opinion, is the foundation for all you do in life. The best leaders exemplify the five qualities we discussed today. To be a truly authentic leader, you must have insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. People want a leader who is honest, good, who upholds their views and ideals.

    • Jose Alvarenga

      I agree. In my discussion, I stated that some leadership qualities, whether learned at and younger age or through life experience, have to be already present. Maybe not developed, which can be done through training, but I'm not sure everyone has these qualities.

  • Kevin Balser

    In law enforcement, we must operationalize police authenticity. We do this by being truthful, which improves not only the individual's success but the team's success. Having authentic leaders in the organization means that they are genuine. They also understand the importance of having strong values, are passionate, and have self-discipline. The team builds authenticity when they take care of another and they learn to care about the other ones' actions before their actions. The team will place the other member first and they will learn to fight for the other team member.

  • Chris Crawford

    I really found breakdown of the 5 character traits of an authentic leader to be insightful. I really thought the example using Hitler was in your face right on point. The foundation of authentic leadership is integrity. Hitler had four but not integrity.

  • Burt Hazeltine

    This module is one of the few where I think more time could have been spent. I felt like the Qualities of an authentic leader were glossed over. These are vitally important to leadership. In my opinion, these should have been the primary focus of the module and not put in the conclusion. Insight, integrity, initiative, influence, and impact are qualities that every leader should have. Without these are you really leading, or at least leading by example.

  • Kaiana Knight

    I really enjoyed this lesson. It was straight to the point. I like how Dr. Normore explained the basic characteristics of authentic leadership. Authentic leaders know their purpose, they have strong values, they are honest, they are trusted, and the demonstrate self-discipline. Authentic leaders are also confident and build strong values and relationships. I know several authentic leaders with those characteristics. I think that if we have more authentic leaders in our organizations, we will have a strong team that people would enjoy working with.

  • Ronald Springer

    I enjoyed this module and appreciated how it built upon itself. Dr. Normore kept it short and simple. Authentic leaders are real and trustworthy. Integrity and ethics are a big part of law enforcement in general and will always be central to leadership.

    • Andrew Peyton

      I agree Ronald. Integrity is certainly something that all officers should be held to a high standard of. I firmly believe if we lose integrity at any level, we have lost all credibility and are truly unable to further serve our agency.

    • David Mascaro

      I agree Ronald. Integrity is a must, especially in our profession where we are entrusted with enforcing laws upon society.

    • Jeff Byrne

      Agree, Ronald. The module built upon itself nicely and I liked how it ended with the five qualities.

  • Kenneth Davis

    When reviewing the Five Qualities of an Authentic Leader- it stands out to me the importance of all of the attributes, but most importantly the fundamental characteristic of integrity. Although all of these characteristics are integral in the weaving the fabric of leadership, only integrity exists as the single tenet of the recipe that reigns supreme. Without integrity, it is nearly impossible to formulate the baseline of trust necessary for developing progressive teams and visions to guide them.

    A follower must trust in order to follow, and must also be willing to offer feedback at regular intervals to ensure leaders are true to the vision and that progress addresses identified visions. These traits are integral, both to the leader and the environments in which they serve.

    Best and stay safe-

    Ken Davis

  • Jay Callaghan

    Insight, Initiative, Influence, Impact, and Integrity..the 5 marks of authentic leadership. The other important concept that Dr Normore pointed out was the leader's responsibility to be deliberate and intentional in their actions. I have seen many leaders "check the box" because they had to or sat through a seminar; but their actions lacked authenticity.

    • Chris Crawford

      I agree. They attended because they had too or did so for appearance sack, not really caring whether the information received would really help someone or the department.

  • Derek Champagne

    Authentic leaders are able to influence others around them and may a true impact with their vision and goals. The most important quality is having integrity. If your employees know you have integrity and do not question it, they will continue to do the right thing, even when no one is watching.

  • Robert Vinson

    I appreciated how Dr. Normore broke down the basic characteristics of authentic leaders as understanding purpose, having strong values, establishing trusting relationships, and discipline. I think understanding one's purpose is especially vital in finding meaning and fulfillment as a leader.

    • Ronald Springer

      Robert,
      Intrapersonal evaluation is always important. Self-knowledge is the first step in discipline.

    • Robert I agree, knowing yourself will help you become a better person in your personal and professional life. If you truly know yourself; you'll better serve your community and be a better leader. How can you lead someone if you're not able to conquer or master yourself.

  • Brent Olson

    One of the first things that struck me was early on in the lesson when it was said that recent turmoil in society has fueled the need for authentic leadership. This statement couldn't be more true given what we are currently facing as a profession. The chaotic message out there from multiple sides has left people feeling uneasy. This leads to them looking for strong leaders that can trust and rely on. As many different hats as I have had to wear as a leader in the past (12) months, I never really thought about it in this way. It is my job to provide those I supervise with many things, including a strong leader that can help them navigate the current working climate. I also enjoyed the discussion on authentic leadership viewpoints. I had heard of intrapersonal and interpersonal before, but hadn't heard of developmental. The part that I will most utilize in my current position will be the idea that authentic leadership develops over a lifetime. It is a continued learning processing, not just through training, but also through gaining different experiences.

    • Kenneth Davis

      Brent- I completely agree. The challenges we are facing, and will continue to face as a profession will reap the benefits of authentic leaders. Serious problems exist...and dedicated servants will be required in order to address them in a particular manner while focusing their efforts on improving processes, practices and agency effectiveness. This will take quite bit of dedication to customer service, patience, ingenuity and other core leadership skills. It is evident that the Authentic Leader will be best-equipped top handle these responsibilities.

      Best and stay safe-

      Ken

  • I think the biggest takeaway from this module is how much integrity plays a role in a persons ability to lead. As the instruction said, you must have a base line level of trust that will allow others to follow. I think this is true at all levels of police work. How can a senior officer expect others to trust and follow them without integrity. If a follower is always questioning a leaders integrity, the motive, outcome, and reasoning for decision will always be there. As they progress in rank to leadership roles, the same will occur. How can follower trusts anything they do, if they feel they have no integrity? This lead me to the conclusion that integrity if foundational to authentic leadership.

    • Burt Hazeltine

      Integrity is vital to leadership. Without integrity, the leader has nothing to stand on. We must make sure we, as leaders, are an example of integrity in everything we do. Both professionally and personally.

    • Darryl Richardson

      Integrity is important in everything aspect of our personal and professional lives. Without integrity we are nothing and never will be anything.

  • Buck Wilkins

    It is important as leaders to have the qualities discussed in this lecture. I know that over the last twenty seven years that I have been in law enforcement and I have tried to learn all of these qualities to be a better officer and a better leader.

  • Scott Crawford

    Considering the 5 qualities, I would think it would be rare to find people who excel in all 5. I think as leaders that should be our goal. If you have integrity to begin with, it will make our journey to be a complete authentic leader that much easier to obtain.

    • I agree that it's hard to find someone who excels in all three. I think you can be gifted in a few of them, but lacking in the others and still be somewhat successful, as long as it's not integrity. I find it hard to accept or think a leader, or anyone for that matter, can be truly successful without integrity.

    • Kaiana Knight

      I agree Scott. I think most leaders only majority of leaders only share between 2 to 3 of those qualities. I think if we have more leaders possessing all 5 of those traits organizations would be more successful.

  • Steve Mahoney

    I believe that becoming an Authentic leader would be a natural progression if you are a good person in all aspects of your life. A leader can learn about these principles and try to apply them and claim to be an authentic leader. If that parson isn't living all the values both professional and personally the followers will quickly see that and you will not be deemed and "Authentic " leader

  • Eric Sathers

    I liked the way this module broke down the characteristics of authentic leadership and really dug into what it means to be authentic. In many ways, authentic leadership is a culmination of much of what we have already learned in this course. The process of becoming authentic is a lifelong journey. You must have experience, introspection, and the willingness to listen to others. I think the ability to adapt to change is also crucial, especially in public safety during a time when we are experiencing significant change and growth.

  • Sgt. Samantha Koscher

    Of the 5 marks of authentic leadership presented during the lecture, impact stood out to me. How a leader impacts others shows the value of the leader. The leader is not valued for their position or rank, they are valued for their relationships with others and their ability to impact others in a positive way.

    • Buck Wilkins

      I agree with you on the impact we have on others. As a leader we are not valued for our rank, but we are valued by how we treat others and our ability to have a positive impact on everyone we come into contact with as a leader.

  • Travis Linskens

    Being authentic is something everyone should strive for in both their personal and professional life. I believe it is more important now than it ever has been before for law enforcement to show we are authentic leaders in our community from an officer to the chief.

    • Brian Smith

      I would agree our profession is in need of more authenticity. I’ve been in the career a long time and have seen extremely non-authentic people rise to positions of leadership due to mis-aligned charisma or arrogance. It is time for LE professionals to demand one another, especially our leaders, to be authentic. Being personal and real, and sharing good and bad life experiences with others fosters trust and follow-ability.

  • Paul Brignac III

    During this lecture we learn that leaders with strong inner drive perform better. I agree that authentic leaders must be driven, and those that are demonstrate it in their actions. A leader that leads with drive and experience does better and is more successful. I believe that a strong drive and emotional intelligence are two of the most important qualities a leader should possess.

    • Kevin Balser

      Paul - I agree that we need to have that inner drive to be authentic with strong emotional intelligence.

  • Thomas Martin

    I appreciated the seven basic characteristics of authentic law enforcement leaders. We must demonstrate self-discipline and act on our values. As leaders, we should be looking out for each another ensuring that we continue to have, and practice self-discipline. Law enforcement professionals with poor values will not survive long in today’s climate. Having one failed moment of self-discipline may end all of your professional goals and dreams. We must keep our values in check to avoid this scenario.

    • Brent Olson

      Thomas,

      I couldn't agree more. One single act of demonstrating poor values is a career ender currently. I just read an article today about a police captain with over (25) years of service and an unblemished record (not a single citizen complaint ever). He accidentally made a post about the George Floyd incident on the department Facebook page (he is the PIO) instead of his personal page as he had intended. It turned into a large public incident in which he was suspended for (30) days, removed as PIO, and is facing other consequences. While his post was accidentally placed on the department page, it was likely a poor choice to post it on his personal page as well. He will likely be remembered for this more then the previous (25) years of exemplary service.

  • Sergeant Michael Prachel

    The part of the module that caught my attention was the “5 Marks of Authentic Leadership” – Insight, Initiative, Influences, Impact, and Integrity. Of the five, “Initiative” is truly a quality that we must embrace. The example given of Lt. Hal Moore leading by example is about the best model we can relate to in my opinion. If we don’t lead by example, how can we expect others to follow us, especially in those uncertain circumstances? Having the ability to take charge and ripple those positive effects is huge

    • Sgt. Samantha Koscher

      I agree. Leaders must be willing to go first, take a chance, and not be afraid to fail. Doing so can strengthen our relationships with others and give a positive behavior to emulate.

  • Ronald Smith

    The five marks of Authentic Leadership were interesting: insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity are things I have looked for all my life and aspired to achieve. Insight is one to work at, it is easy to have a vision but being able to navigate complex situations takes effort. The other four seem to fall into place as long as number five, integrity, is a core value.

    • Robert Vinson

      I agree. I need to work on formulating a more concrete vision and do a better job of communicating that as well. I think you're right, Integrity has to be the bedrock for all of it.

  • Marshall Carmouche

    The five qualities that make up an authentic leader are all important to have. What stuck out most to me in this model is when Dr Normore stressed what authentic leadership really means "know thyself". How many of us do truly know ourselves? Once we know our true purpose, I think we have the ability to be that authentic leader. One must remain honest and true to them self and their subordinates to stay authentic.

    • Eric Sathers

      I agree. We need to remain introspective and self-aware if we are to effectively lead others.

  • Gregory Hutchins

    Being authentic is characteristic leaders require understanding better. As with much in leadership development, especially in this Area, the ethic leader's characteristic can serve as a change agent and inspire others to follow authenticity. As described by Normore, there are plenty of good leaders; however, in retrospect, these leaders have caused some of the most notable atrocities recorded in recent history. The defining characteristic is integrity. In some way, of all the characteristics to define a leader, integrity is the only skill that one cannot teach. People of character have a strong sense of unwavering integrity.
    The highest character values drive an individual to be authentic, to serve others with core values to make a lasting difference. Self-awareness can illustrate an individual's tendency to stray off a moral line, and self-regulation may keep them on the proper path, but eventually, life and situations change, and an individual with a character flaw will always be rooted out. Too often, it is when it is destructive to the organization, others, and one's livelihood.

  • Matthew Menard

    In order to be a good leader, one must possess all 5 of the qualities talked about in the module (insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity). Finding the appropriate balance of each qualities often times is just as challenging as possessing each of them. I believe that an authentic leader can be weak in one or two of these areas and still be a good leader, however each area must always exist in some form or the rest cannot sustain.

  • Jarvis Mayfield

    I feel that a good leader must have all 5 qualities of an Authentic Leader to be well rounded as an authentic leader. To be authentic you must not be a know it all however I am saying that you must at least have a basic idea or understanding of each of the three. Initiative is to have a drive it takes in Law Enforcement that is an excellent quality to possess, I like integrity as a leader everything you do and say will directly or indirectly affect someone

  • Having insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity is essential at being a leader. As a new leader I have found that becoming a student of leadership that each of these qualities are not equally distributed. I think that I am stronger in some areas and weaker in others, but being a student of leadership will help me become better.

  • Jacqueline Dahms

    Authentic leaders are the beacon that guide you home to something real, genuine, and kind, at least that is true for the person I try to emulate every day. They build and nurture trusting relationships based on their own self-awareness, life experiences, and partnering with their followers. Integrity seems to be the most important, but I think all 5 marks have equal impact on the success of an authentic leader. I think the hardest of these marks is influence because it is not always obvious.

    • Ronald Smith

      Jacqueline
      you are right, I don't know if you have ever had someone in charge of anything who you did not feel they were authentic, but it really is a drag on progress and personal growth. An authentic leader brings out the 'want' to complete tasks or be a part of the change. Don't discount your ability to influence those who follow you, they may not be cheerleaders but if you watch them they will emulate you.

    • Sergeant Michael Prachel

      I would agree that “Integrity” is the most important and is the foundation of becoming an authentic leader. If we don’t portray integrity in our personal and professional lives, it will be difficult for followers to respect our decisions. Embracing the other marks are crucial, but not having the quality of integrity may still hinder followers to trust you as an authentic leader.

  • Brad Strouf

    While all five of "marks of authentic leadership" are important, it would seem that integrity is highest on the list of importance. Without integrity, no relationship building will exist since the leader will not be trusted. Without integrity, the leader will have less, if any, impact of the followers.

    • Scott Crawford

      To me integrity and impact go hand in hand. Any leader can make an impact, but it`s our integrity that determines rather that impact is positive or negative.

    • Derek Champagne

      A leader without integrity is not a leader. People will see this and see through them and their damage will hurt the people they supervise.

  • Nicole Oakes

    Behaving authentically means acting in core with ones values, preferences, and needs as opposed to acting merely to please other people or to obtain awards or avoid punishments through acting falsely. So often our leaders are driven by self motivation for their own personal gain. I see leaders come into power that are not respected and who have not used good judgement. I am hoping leadership training is changing the wave of future leadership and management.

  • Robert Schei

    Authentic Leadership really means to know thyself. This statement made by Dr. Normore was imperative to me gaining insight throughout the module. As we learned about the 5 qualities of an authentic leader; insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity I applied each quality to the "know thyself" statement. By doing so I had a better understanding of leadership failures and how some leaders struggle. Each quality is imperative and although you can fool followers for some time leaving a lasting positive legacy requires personal honesty and development.

  • Timothy Sandlin

    In this module authentic leadership was discussed. What I got from this is fairly simply and practical. Authentic leadership is sincere, real, down to earth, relationships, and being able to connect with people on a more sincere and personal way. When people connect with the leader obviously there is more influence involved in the relationship. If the leader lives it the people more likely believe it. The module did a good job academically connecting the dots. It covered authentic leadership principles and marks of authentic leadership.

  • What struck me is how a leader who lacks integrity can go so wrong. I had never really thought about how it was a lack of integrity that caused some of the worst people in history to have horrible impacts. Integrity has to be the first step in Authentic Leadership. It should be the foundation of any leadership.

    • Robert Schei

      I agree, integrity is the key concept of the 5 qualities and ultimately will determine an individuals impact.

    • Matthew Menard

      Very true. As demonstrated by the list of good leaders who did terrible things in the lecture, they all lacked integrity.

  • Andy Opperman

    I thought one of the most important take a ways from the module on authentic leadership was the five qualities of an authentic leader. The importance of having integrity when leading people is a must. So many leaders show their ability to motivate people and influence them, but many times what gets lost is the why of that motivation. With every decision we make as leaders one of our first questions to ourselves should be, “am I doing this for the right reasons.” Adding the quote from Lt. Colonel Hal Moore as an example was a great representation of a leader that possessed all five qualities.

  • I really believe that to be a good leader you have to have integrity. That seems to be a common theme in a lot of leadership courses and trainings but I honestly agree with that. As a leader if you have integrity, your followers will have a better chance of looking up to and respecting you because they know that you will do your best for what is right and that they can trust you. I also believe that to help yourself develop integrity, you have to spend more time around people that have the same qualities as you or those that you are aspiring to develop.

    • Thomas Martin

      I agree with you Kari. Integrity comes up all the time in leadership training, but is rarely discussed between peers regarding individual personal development. Doctor Normore stated that integrity, or the lack of, determines the quality of a persons impact. We want to make a positive impact in lives of our cohorts, and practicing integrity will help us do this.

  • The principles of Authentic Leadership (AL), Thought processes, emotional intelligence, inner drive, and the deepest core values right true. These are the guiding principles for us all to try and follow. We have to be interpersonal in our leadership walk, talk with and understand our followers. We have to build positive relationships and adapt to people where they are at. Share our personal experiences with our followers, be transparent and open. This will help build that essential trust we need to succeed as a team. Finally, our ethics and integrity must be solid. Reputation is so important to build. What have we sacrificed for the team or the organization?

    Merely being "chummy" doesn't define AL. Being a buddy is just that, we need these principles to be true ALs. Being friendly is important but we cannot stop there alone. What's our vision? Do we have initiative and are we carrying that forward for the organization? Do we let our friendships dictate how we handle issues when they come up or do we evenly dispense with correction when needed? So many things to consider regarding authenticity.

    • Andy, this is very true about being "chummy." Many officers and supervisors want to be friends and suck up to supervisors so they can skate by or be allowed to slack off. This puts supervisors in questionable positions of deciding whether they want to discipline their friend or subordinate.

  • Authentic leadership is a self-less but very self-aware leadership style. It is shaped by basic characteristics that everyone should strive to possess as people, not just leaders. The first step towards being authentic requires integrity and passion for what you do. Since we are in the people business, you would be hard pressed lead without the two.

    I worry what the future will hold for authenticity. Between social media and the mindset of many of our youth, it may be difficult to find someone who is authentic when our successors leave. Their constant relying on feedback and others approval from people they don’t even really know… and allowing that to shape their opinions and lives. Most can’t function without their “life-line” in their hand or in contact with their body.

    • Selfless, spot on.

      I like how you correlate the desire to be liked versus authentic leadership. We all want to be liked but we all need to do the right thing. Integrity. People will respect us as leaders if we are even-handed and fair about doing our work when it relates to the people. If we treat people differently others will take note and we've lost. Be kind, be encouraging, be motivating, and be authentic.

  • Sgt. Shawn Wilson

    When I reflect on past leaders that I have come to admire and analyze what type of leadership they displayed; they all possessed Authentic Leadership. They treated those around them with respect, they made that personal connection with those they lead and inspired all of those around them. I think that this can only occur when we look inward and truly understand who we are as leaders. The never wavering commitment to integrity that authentic leaders have if applied across an organization would resolve numerous organizational issues.

    • Andy Opperman

      I agree Shawn, you can not truly lead if you are not self aware, we must as leaders have the ability to self analyze everything we do. If you do not understand yourself to include your flaws and your strengths how will we identify important traits in our own people.

  • A simple concept yet so powerful. People want to follow credible, authentic, people. Its not so much about your rank, or what you have accomplished. Its how you have portrayed yourself to others. Have you been the example of what you hope they will become?

    • Sgt. Shawn Wilson

      Could not agree more. Rank is irrelevant. Those that live in the past and rest their laurels on past accomplishments lose focus on what is important; the community we serve and our fellow officers should always be the priority.

    • Jacqueline Dahms

      Agreed William. I have come across a few leaders that I would consider credible and authentic. Those are the people that display kindness and are genuine and true to their values. They are the beacons, the lighthouses to our turbulent seas. In my experience, I've seen leaders have several of the qualities or 5 marks but not all of them and unfortunately, they just don't have that light, as if something is missing. But at least I see them try. I've also seen plenty of crappy "leaders" as supervisors and yet they still offer insight, influence and impact...just not while building relationships or being kind.

  • What struck me most about this module is looking at the five markers of authentic leadership and really reflecting on the meaning of each. Having insight isn't just about being able to see the "big picture". It's about being able to make decisions and often the right ones while considering those that the decision affects. And then after that decision is made to have the initiative to lead the way by taking the first step; setting the tone as the leader drives towards that goal. Having a positive attitude, high moral standards and leading by example will have an impactful influence on others which will make a difference in not only the outcomes of that goal, but future goals set by others that follow or, perhaps one day, lead. And at the core of all these markers is integrity, which without this quality, is truly the difference for how that leader will be remembered; a hero or a villain.

    • Brad Strouf

      I share your thoughts on the module. I found it to be a significant help in defining the markers of great (authentic) leaders. Certainly the mark of integrity is critical to true authentic leadership.

  • Magda Fernandez

    Authentic Leadership is about looking inward. Having the ability to be genuine, self-reflect be able to listen to others and continue to learn and be open and inclusive. Leaders have great impact on their subordinates to a whole other level that as leaders we may not be aware of. A leader who consistently stays late, works extra hours, and is available to staff 24-7 is sometimes viewed as admirable and dedicated. Subordinates may look at that as an expectation of performance they may not want to do or unable meet which may discourage them from promoting to a certain rank. We must be self-aware and practice good work life balance and lead by that example. To me, the most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in what ever it is they want to do.

    • Be first onto the field and the last one off. Leaders should eat last, to quote a book I know. To me, dedication is a big part of AL. Showing the people that you are willing to grind on for them and try at every opportunity to make things better will go a long way. AL in general is a tough one and there is a fine balance. It is somewhat subjective and objective but surely no black and white execution.

  • Jennifer Hodgman

    Authentic leadership really means to know thy self, which is a lifelong learning process. Being authentic in our leadership means we are doing the right thing, being honest with ourselves and others and working for the common good.

    • Marshall Carmouche

      I agree! There is a reason Dr. Normore stressed "KNOW THY SELF" in the lesson. Once we truly know our self and our purpose we then can become an authentic leader.

  • Kelly Lee

    The big 5 to have in order to show or build Authentic Leadership. 1) Insight, 2) Initiative, 3) Influence, 4) Impact and 5) Integrity. I challenge the others in this class to take a look at either your current administration or a previous one you've worked for and see if they "checked all these boxes" or were lacking a few. I am happy to say that I believe the Sheriff I currently work for possess all these traits and continues to work on them each and every day. Although some do not agree with all the Sheriff's decisions, I know that what he does comes from the heart and with the best of intention.

    • Good comment Kelly. I believe people will respect an assertive decision-maker. So long as that decision is based upon input (whenever possible) of the people they influence and affect. We have to be willing to listen, evaluate, ask questions, and be strong in our final decisions.

  • Christopher Lowrie

    Authentic leaders value treating people with decency and dignity. This is a basic concept but it is a great reminder. If every cop treated others like they would want their family to be treated the world would be a better place. Authentic leaders "walk the walk" is another great lesson point. Don't pretend to be something that you are not. Be authentic in all areas of your life both on and off duty.

    • Kelly Lee

      Agreed Chris, it's funny on how on ALL these modules everything goes back to or comes down to how we treat people or each other. Totally on point when you say if every cop (and everyone else) treated others like they wanted to be treated the world would be a better place. Amen to that!

    • I've told every rookie that I have ever trained the same thing.

      "try to treat every person you meet the same way as you would want a cop to treat your family."

  • Maja Donohue

    Authentic leadership is probably the reason why people sometimes think that leaders are born and not made. We feel that these individuals are successful because leadership appears to come naturally to them. This lecture explained what this perceived natural ability is founded on, namely integrity to one’s principles and values. Authentic qualities appear natural because they are a part of the leader’s character. When you are honest with yourself and true to your principles, others see you as trustworthy, which makes you credible in their eyes. To be authentic is to intentionally and deliberately maintain our integrity, rely on our values and principles to guide our decisions and initiate change, become a student of life to gain insight and wisdom, and be mindful of our impact and influence on others. Authenticity is synonymous with honesty and goodness, and people are naturally drawn to this leadership quality because it brings out the best in everyone.

    • Timothy Sandlin

      Excellent point. I never made that connection, but I agree. The reason why some seem born to lead is their inherent authenticity and ability to connect with people.

  • Chad Blanchette

    There were some great points in this module. I think striving to be an authentic leader is where we all need to strive for going forward.

  • Samantha Reps

    Authentic leadership requires us to know ourselves first and do a self inventory. As stated in this learning lesson authentic leadership should have insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity. All staff look for a good honest leader to follow.

  • I think that Dr. Normore hit on some key topics in his presentation. The first point is that a leader cannot be authentic if they truly do not know themselves. The second point is that without the buy-in from followers, authenticity is a mute point. Both of these concepts were further discussed in the "Authentic Leader Viewpoints" portion of the lecture. Here, the importance of intrapersonal skills (What makes the leader tick and operate), developmental skills (components that are learned and developed) and intrapersonal skills (relationships between leaders and followers) are highlighted. When a leader demonstrates these traits they are viewed as being genuine. The genuine leader who has a desire to serve others can improve performance and affect positive change. Early in the presentation, Dr. Normore mentions that some theorists believe that a whole organization can act authentically. One could only imagine what a law enforcement agency could accomplish if that were true.

    • Christopher Lowrie

      Your first point about a leader cannot be authentic if they truly do not know themselves is huge. As Bill George spoke about leaders need self awareness. They need to find a process that works for them to get accurate feedback so they can move forward and not make the same mistakes.

  • Ryan Lodermeier

    Integrity is the foundation for authentic leadership. Insight, initiative, influence, and impact can all be worked and improved upon but if a person does not have integrity then there effects when put in leadership roles will not only be nonproductive, but in many ways detrimental to the success of the agency. I appreciate the reference to Colonel Moore, it is a great example of a leader showing initiative.

  • Paul Gronholz

    It's important for leaders to be authentic and base their actions and decision based on strong morals and ethics. Leaders must act with integrity in order to build trust within their communities and organizations. Officers and citizens need to know that their leaders will do what is right at all times. Behaving with integrity is the foundation that the other 4 qualities of authentic leadership are built on.

  • Durand Ackman

    It is amazing how this content holds up. I don't know the year this video was recorded but he referenced recent events and mentioned 9/11. That makes me think it was recorded at least a couple years ago, but today we are facing worldwide events as well as nationwide and even local events that require strong leaders to step up. The 5 qualities - insight, influence, input, initiative and integrity are all important for a leader and an argument can be made for each of them being more important that the others. I believe integrity is the most important as high integrity will lead to the others and sets a great example for others to follow.

    • Ryan Lodermeier

      I agree Durand, the 4 other qualities we can develop and grow with however if someone does not have integrity then that not only limits their leadership effectiveness but it can create a detrimental situation for the agency.

  • Ryan Manguson

    This was a great module on Authentic Leadership. I like the comments about in todays day and age authentic leadership is more in demand than ever. The public is demanding trustworthy authentic leadership. It was important to note that authentic leadership is developed over a lifetime from personal and shared events that trigger growth and greater authenticity.

    • Jennifer Hodgman

      Ryan I agree with your comments. Our leadership is developed over a lifetime from shared and personal events which trigger growth and authenticity.

    • Gregory Hutchins

      While all of the components listed are learnable, one can question the most important, integrity. One's cannot teach integrity in the fashion as other characteristics of authentic leadership. Once one reaches adulthood, and with their core values and beliefs set, change is challenging to promote. Self-awareness, as noticed in earlier lessons, is very difficult to attain. To be self-aware to the point of self-regulating or completely changing values and beliefs is a monumental task. As actual leadership development is a long way of being taught more efficiently and to all in all facets of one's life, changing character flaw that affects integrity is not more than burying it, in the hope the leader can continue to fight to keep it down in the effort to be authentic.

    • Stephanie Hollinghead

      Ryan, I agree. Events in the world over time have required law enforcement to be more transparent in order to build trusting relationships with the public. Having integrity and strong morals lay the foundation for authenticity. We can develop and learn as we go but leaders can not forget this is a lifelong journey of learning.

  • Eduardo Palomares

    In the context of authentic leadership, we can’t forget that in order to have credibility one must display the following five qualities: 1. Insight, 2. Initiative, 3. Influence, 4. Impact and 5. Integrity. None could be measured in quantitative ways but all have to exemplary be displayed and practice. Leaders striving to display and practice authenticity must be insightful to the needs and wants of others. Additionally, leaders must have the initiative to bring positive change to the people they work for (subordinates) with good intentions. The influence has to be based on referent power at all levels of the organization and in all ranks. Integrity and Impact are equally important to be an effective authentic leader that will be trusted by his or her peers, subordinates and superiors.

    • I am reading your post after doing mine and just had to comment as I also commented on the five markers. I like how you brought in referent power and totally agree that this should be practiced at all levels throughout our organizations. Can you imagine the difference that would make?

  • Kyle Phillips

    Real leaders are contagious...….true statement, hopefully we have all had the ability to work for one of these supervisors. The lecture made a great point about leaders having several of the five qualities of authentic leadership, however without integrity, they were not authentic leaders. Integrity is the foundation from which we build, develop, model and influence.

    • Eduardo Palomares

      I have to say this is very accurate. One of the virtues l look for people is authenticity, specifically in leadership positions. Real leaders are contagious that display authenticity are more trusted that those who are not. They are humble to accept they are wrong and always act with the outmost best intentions for the organization and their people.

    • Durand Ackman

      Absolutely agree, real leaders are contagious. I have worked for a couple and they make you want to perform better. It makes coming to work more enjoyable and encourages you to up your game to their level. I also agree that integrity is the foundation for a great leader.

    • Deana Hinton

      We are all looking for something from a leader that inspires us. Keeping this in mind, we will understand how important to demonstrate insight, initiative and integrity. Self-inventory is important to assure we are doing our best to live and authentic life and be a mentor for others to do the same.

  • James Schueller

    The reason given for "Why is there a need for authentic leadership" was the recent turmoil in society. Interesting since this content was from 2017- and no win 2020 that answer could not be more true! I found the ending piece, the '5 Marks of Authentic Leadership' to really bring this module into focus: Insight, Initiative, Influence, Impact, and Integrity. I liked the comparison of influence to influenza (They're both contagious!). The definition used with Impact was phenomenal- The measure of leadership cannot be found by the leader, it is found by the impact they have on their followers...What a great way to define this principle, and one that we all should take to heart.

    • James Schueller

      now in 2020, not "no win 2020"...although the way the year has gone so far, that is also accurate, lol.

      • Ha! I can't believe no one jumped on that one yet.
        I agree, I also ending to be insightful and applicable, as well as the measure of a leader. I Feel of all the leadership variables and styles, if I was forced to pick one, it would be authentic leadership.

  • Being authentic or real as a leader is very important. I think oftentimes leaders will change with the times to appease people instead of staying true to themselves. I think some do this to be promoted but I think in the long run if you are not being true to your beliefs and core values and rather changing to appease others, it will eventually wear on you and cause you to break or develop bad morale. Most can see through this trait and will lose all trust and confidence in this type of leader/ship.

    • Paul Gronholz

      Very true. Leaders that aren't authentic will eventually falter. Their core values must include integrity and having the courage to do what is right when it may not be the popular thing to do.

    • Magda Fernandez

      Jesse, I agree with you, when people change with times, specific situations, and or are easily manipulated by people around them they fail to stay true to themselves. When people do not remain true to their values and beliefs and try to constantly adopt behaviors of whatever or whoever is around them, they come across as dis insincere, disingenuous and untrustworthy. That can lead to a decline in morale for a squad or a unit. Once trust is lost in a leader it is hard to rebuild and that loss of trust can have a ripple effect across the command staff and department.

  • Joseph Flavin

    This module talked about the five marks of an authentic leader; Insight, Initiative, Influence, Impact, and Integrity. To learn that Integrity is the foundation of authentic leadership is not surprising. Without Integrity, one cannot be an effective leader. This module also discussed the three authentic leadership viewpoints: intrapersonal, developmental, and interpersonal. This was a very educational module.

    • Kyle Phillips

      It was not surprising to learn that being an authentic leader hinged on integrity, as integrity is the foundation of how we act, what we believe, and who we align ourselves with.

      • Maja Donohue

        Absolutely…our character must have integrity at its core. If we act in accordance with our values, then we will make the right decisions, associate with good people, and live a virtuous life.

  • Mitchell Gahler

    In this module, Normore discussed the five qualities of an Authentic Leader. Of the five, initiative stands out to me as an important quality. An authentic leader who has initiative was described as, “they go first, they don’t sit on the sideline, they don’t ask others to do something that they aren’t willing to do themselves, instead they lead by example. I strive to do my best at this quality and try to be an effective member of our office. I try to do things without being told and keep going when things get tough. Act instead of react.

    • I agree Integrity is a very important foundation. If you have Integrity people will believe in you and follow you. Once you have established Integrity other traits should be easy to develop.

    • I think Mitchell hit upon something (initiative) that is lacking in many organizations. One of my department's Core values is that of being "Proactive". I stress this value with every new staff member I meet with and it's incorporated into my expectations for them.
      I expect my staff to make things better than they found them and I expect them to be problem solvers. That said, I am fully aware that the events that have taken place in this country since Ferguson in 2014 have forced many officers to become reactive instead of proactive. I constantly work the importance of this core value into conversations, I make it a point to demonstrate it myself and I highlight/ reward staff who go out of their way to demonstrate it during the course of their shift.

  • Lt. Marlon J Shuff

    Of the five qualities of an authentic leader, integrity is undoubtedly the most important. The supervisor with low integrity will likely never have the genuine trust and respect of his followers. They will have positional authority; people will only follow them because they have to. In most organizations, it's pretty easy to pick out these types of leaders. Integrity is the foundation for relationships and trust.

    • James Schueller

      Exactly. The leaders with low integrity are leaders only because of their position. They will never be actual leaders because they do not have the trust and respect that is necessary for people to want to follow you. They do not have the Interpersonal point of view that is necessary to get the "buy-in" from the followers.

  • Lt. Richard Paul Oubre

    Dr. Normore spoke about how a leader is measured by the impact they had on the people around them. He later spoke about how integrity is the most important trait a leader must possess. I have always understood this but this module verbalized it for me. Enjoyed this module a lot.

    • Joseph Flavin

      I agree with you when you talk about the importance of integrity and how this module verbalized it. From integrity, all of the other qualities can grow.

  • Lt. Joseph C. Chevis

    This module would be great for the new recruits that are starting with any agency. This is inspiring for me so I can only imagine how the younger generation would feel after watching this module.
    Authentic leaders are motivators and will have supporters because of their level of trust. I consider myself as an authentic leader because I have strong ethics skills, and I have applied my skills to shape and reform a trusting relationship with my subordinates.

  • Captain Jessica Jo Troxclair

    I believe a truly authentic leader must possess insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity. Each component that make a leader authentic complement each other. I also feel being an authentic leader you must “KNOW THYSELF”, most people are too afraid to learn about themselves and refuse to share what they do know with others. Barriers fall down when people start to open up and be genuine. Something else that helps with your purpose is being spiritual. I’ve noticed my most authentic leaders as I grew in my career were very spiritual. When you understand there is something bigger than you being humble is easy.

  • Referencing some of the most horrible people ever to walk the Earth shows you how powerful a person can be if they lead using the 5 marks of authentic leadership. Imagine if Hitler had integrity that was genuine and not genocidal, we would all probable be speaking German as a second language! It also shows how important it is to be a well rounded AUTHENTIC leader you must have these traits for meaningful change and success.

    • Lt. Marlon J Shuff

      I thought the example regarding Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Zedung was a great example because it illustrated by just having 4 of the 5 qualities will make you a powerful leader.

  • The five qualities of an authentic leader discussed in the module are insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity. While integrity stands out to me as one of the highest qualities of a leader, I personally feel that a leader needs all qualities to be authentic.

  • I feel the items Dr. Normore covered, the five qualities that an authentic leader possesses is powerful. He mentioned that the 5 items, integrity, impact, insight, influence, & initiative are instrumental to be "legitimate". Being a proper and direct leader allows your "followers" to gain from your positive knowledge, attitude, and wisdom. Mentorship can be provided when you gain followers from authentic leadership and teach people how to lead.

  • Most of us have experienced both good and bad leaders, in our careers. It may e naïve or wishful thinking that I concentrate on the good leaders that I have had, even though we talk about the bad ones. This type of training has value to us, today, because it articulates what so many do on a daily basis and have done, before we had these terms.

    Many years ago, I had a commander that exhibited all the attributes that we have discussed, but I could not have articulated that, at the time. He would have told you, that's the way you are supposed to be. We stand in the tradition of great leaders and need to reflect on the fact that some of the bad leaders that we have experienced, did not know better.

  • As I was listening to and taking notes on this lecture, I found myself reflecting on my leadership as well as those supervisors and officers that I consider leaders in my career. Those leaders that I chose to follow did in fact display all 5 qualities of an effective leader. I believe to some extent I display these qualities also. I am stronger is some area than others. It gives me room for improvement and authentic leaders always look for improvement.

  • Lt. Mark Lyons

    I found this training module to be very interesting and informative. The concept of authentic leadership in law enforcement is unique, in that it has significant value regardless of rank. Authentic leadership attracts followers who will imitate the leaders values, characteristics an traits and will put forth a greater effort when performing work related activities. Authentic leaders have a desire to serve others and play a huge role in changing the culture of an agency over time.

    • I agree as stated in the module authentic leadership in law enforcement has significant value regardless to leadership rank. It emphasizes building legitimate leaders through honest relationships with followers that value their input and build on an ethical foundation.

    • Captain Jessica Jo Troxclair

      I have observed in my career that the most authentic leaders are the happiest. It is easy to be happy and attract positive followers when you have nothing to hide or be afraid of. They truly enjoy changing the agency for the better and bringing their followers along.

      • Mitchell Gahler

        I enjoyed reading your response and I agree that having a positive attitude develops followers. I try on a daily basis to have a positive attitude and promote happiness. When people have a bad day, their attitude reflects their behavior, which others see and tend to stray away from them so they are not affected.

    • Lt. Joseph C. Chevis

      This is true, when I was a deputy I was an FTO and I trained the way I work . I was honest, Trust worth and and had respect for the badge. When I spoke I was like a coach with a new group of players. I motivated my recruits gain their trust during the training program. Even as a Watch Commander I still use this same method when I speak to my shift.

  • We have all worked with individuals who were great patrol deputies, and when they received a promotion their who demeanor changes. They go from a fun and upbeat individual to a strict, cold and miserable person. This lecture taught us that authentic leadership has positive effects on everyone around you. Your employees will respond to the examples you set and will strive to work hard to imitate you.

  • We talk about having to be authentic to impress upon our followers what is the correct actions and values our organization require. It is easy to spot someone that is not being authentic. They stick out like a sore thumb because they themselves do not believe what they are portraying. If they are acting just to satisfy others it is only time before their real values surface.

  • Adam Gonzalez

    "Authentic leaders are comfortable being themselves". "Be yourself". "Act within one's own values". These three important lessons slammed into me as they each brought thoughts of past leaders that I have looked up to before. These are just some of the traits that screams out to me, authenticity! Everyone wants to have a leader that is themself, yet trying to reach higher and be better. We can all benefit from taking to heart these qualities and virtues and best exemplify them in our own style of helping others and reaching out to those in need. I believe that many of us would best be served be being mindful of why we got into public service in the first place. What drew us here and are we where we want to be? If not, let's get there. We are certainly learning the tools now on how to get to where we do each want to be!!

  • I think authentic leadership can help boost morale within a shift or department. A lot of leaders don't identify with their coworkers or subordinates on a personal level, which leaves that person feeling misunderstood, or looked over. This style of leadership is something I will definitely work on in the future.

    • Nice response. I always try to have personal one-on-one communication with my officers. Its easier as i have a small department (11 full time). I try to come in early and stay late which allows be to overlap with all three shifts (if only for a short time). That way I can personally chat with each officer. This way I can receive feedback from them as well as clear up any miscommunications may have made their way through the system.

  • This module was a great reminder of why it is important to always "Know Thyself". An authentic leader can not waiver when it comes to his values and beliefs. There will be difficult times but as an authentic leader you will have to stay strong and passionate about the mission. Understanding the purpose is another characteristic that is important for an authentic leader.

    • I am in full agreement with you. We all hope that we can be strong and resist the easy out. I think as a whole, law enforcement has done pretty well to train leaders of the next generation.

  • The statement, “integrity ultimately determines the quality of a person’s impact" rings true. Many people advocate for change but not all change is good. We must have integrity for there to be positive change. When implementing new policies or procedures, we need to consider who will the change affect and is it worth the risk. As Authentic Leaders, we should evaluate where are we going, lead the way, influence others to follow, make a difference and we must do so with integrity to ensure the change will be truly beneficial to individuals, our agency and community.

    • Cheryl you bring up a valid point on change. I cannot think of a time where a new policy or procedure was discussed with anyone before implementation. There is so much we can do better if we truly apply these concepts.

  • I found similarity between authentic leadership and the different types of power. It seem for leadership to be authentic, a leader must have reverent power. These combinations of characteristics to be an authentic leader provides someone with a way to break down into steps the ways for self improvement. The importance of followers in this lesson was great to learn also. A leader being able to adjust to the types of followers is critical in becoming authentic. While some followers may believe a leader is not authentic, others may. Some followers may not look at any leader as authentic and self reflection should not take their feedback to heart.

  • As a leader being authentic should be our goal, because when we are trustworthy, our followers would want to be more like us, and this how our legacy can continue to live on

  • Being an authentic leader is something that every supervisor should strive to accomplish. By possessing these qualities, it will benefit our subordinates, department, and community. Being an authentic leader will also carry into our personal lives and make us a better person.

  • Integrity for me is a key virtue of becoming an Authentic Leader. Integrity starts at home and continues in your everyday role as both a person and a leader in your agency. We have integrity on our yearly evaluations and if you don't score the highest possible in that category then you can not work for me. As a police officer, if we lack integrity, then we don't belong wearing the badge. With that being said I think all 5 qualities listed, Insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity all play a role in being an authentic leader.

    • I agree, If you don't have integrity, then you shouldn't be wearing a badge. Those officers are who give us the black eyes and inadequate media exposure are the officers with no integrity.

      • Beau, I agree. As Dr. Normore said, "people long for leaders they can trust"; the media today is quick to publish stories that create turmoil, distrust and outrage. Yet, the millions of stories about how we volunteer to read to children, donate our hard-earned money to community charities, work to build relationships with the community based on trust and respect are all SILENCED. Our officers respond to several calls with dignity, integrity and respect on a daily basis, but let one of them lose composure for a moment and its published...hot off the press...or posted on social media. In law enforcement, we must maintain our integrity even when everyone else fails to do so....we have to continue to heal the black eye that those who acted without integrity have given us.

  • Lieutenant Dustin Jenkins

    One main take-away from this lesson was offered towards the end when discussing leaders who have embodied most of the traits but lacked the last of the marks...without integrity, you can still be a leader but to reach the level of authentic leadership I feel one must have integrity. Without integrity, you lack the ability to be a great leader and risk falling into a less than favorable leadership group. This lesson continues to build on all traits which have been learned throughout the first 2 learning areas of this course and continue to reiterate that to become Magnus all aspects must be practiced continuously throughout our careers.

    • Adam Gonzalez

      As you shared, "to reach the level of authentic leadership, I feel one must have integrity". I to subscribe to such thought. I suspect that most, if not all, do. I do not believe that there can be real trust if there is no integrity. Thank you for also sharing that "all aspects must be practiced continuously throughout our careers". Times may come where we do not live up to the ideal we each strive to live by. When this happens, we make good on our bads, we apologize and we move forward again. I am surprised by the willingness of others to forgive when they sense that you are sincere in your work to become better and apologize for mistakes.

  • We’ve all worked for people who acted like they care, but deep down, we all know they are full of it and themselves. Unfortunately, people are promoted to their level of incompetence. Sound familiar? I’m sure people say that about everyone in our profession. Still, the difference is, in my opinion, that if you are knowledgeable and “know thy self,” any comments about your incompetence are made out of pure jealousy and frustration. You should have an ethical, moral compass, and it’ll show in your work because your personal life reflects your work. No one is perfect, though. Being authentic is the same as being true and genuine. It is a lot easier to get along with others when you’re not an asshole.

  • Being an authentic leader is what people need. An authentic leader is something that is learned throughout years of experience. The leader takes those experiences and learns what to do and what not to do. They possess the five qualities that were talked about in the module and are true to their followers.

    • Lieutenant Dustin Jenkins

      I agree that to become authentic one must learn from our past experiences as mentioned in the module, also a full embrace of insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity must be utilized to reach the authentic potential with are all striving for.

  • I believe people aren't born to be leaders, but are raised. The 5 qualities cant be taught in a week long class, those 5 qualities speak to you as a person. The people that follow and sometimes choose you to be leader see that you naturally possess those qualities. People can smell a person who's not authentic a mile away, and you'll never gain their trust.

  • We all have an opinion on what it feels like to be under an authentic leader. As leaders, we need to be Authentic while we are commanding our troops. We need to care and have the emotional intelligence to our troops so they can trust us and know we care.

    As we look at our mentors, and who we are leading, we need to practice the art of Authentic Leadership.

    I agree with the five qualities that are listed in the easy; however, there are so many more that are vital to this skill: empathy, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, genuine.

  • There is absolutely no reason for anyone to lead other people and not be authentic. You got to a leadership position for a reason and you must maintain those values. All too often people's ego's get the best of them when they make rank. You should be true to yourself and continue to be the person you have always been. You still put your pants on one leg at a time.

    • I agree, I've seen too many people get into a position of power or leadership and their personality goes down the tube. They started out as decent people, until those stripes are put on. I wake up every morning knowing i could lose my position and put back with the guys I lead. Though it might not be healthy, it keeps me humble.

      • I agree with you sid, often times people change once they receive rank and forget that the person they were before the promotion. If you employess do not respect you as a person they well not respect your position as a supervisor.

  • I think we all have worked for a bad supervisor who was not very honest and good. I know from first hand experience that it truly does make a difference to work for a supervisor who is honest and will tell you the truth, good or bad, with the purpose of making you a better leader. Along with the fact that they will listen to your feedback, good or bad, and not just shoot your ideas down and will explain his/her reasons for why they may not agree with you. It makes you respect that leader even more knowing that he cares enough to let you know what you did wrong and why he/she thinks it was wrong. Instead of a leader who will just shut your feedback down and send you on your way.

  • Henry Dominguez

    I think you need all five qualities because in one way or another they support each other. I also believe like the lecture says in its a life long process of learning to be an authentic leader. Authentic Leaders are genuine with a desire to lead others and to know thy self. You have the opportunity to build hope and trust.

    • McKinney

      I agree with your statement that each quality supports each other. The balance of being an authentic leader takes many different traits and learning each step will always be an evolving process.

  • In the learning area 3, module 3, I've learned that authentic embodies what is real and embraces fear while living toward a shared future. Authentic leaders are positive people. Which a famous quote always teaches us to "know thy self".

  • In reviewing this module my thought process about leadership follows the 3 View Points of Authentic Leaders – Intrapersonal, Developmental, and Interpersonal. It hit home with me when Dr. Normore stated that learning to be a leader, in general, is a life-long process. The more I think about myself and my time in leadership roles, I see how much it is that I have changed. Some of the values I held at 22 are not within the same order or context almost 20 years later. While my core values may not have changed as much, constant learning and life experiences have changed my priorities which added values I did not develop before. Constant and trusted feedback from people I hold dear has helped me to grow as a person and a leader. Life opens your eyes to bigger and bigger pictures and as your priorities change and so do you.

  • Authentic leaders demonstrate high integrity. It does not take people long to figure out the authentic leaders in their departments. As the module taught us, authentic leaders demonstrate high integrity. They also create a level of trust for others to follow. Coming up through the ranks I trusted our top leaders. I felt like they were honorable men/women and did the right things for the right reasons. I also feel we have a tight group of authentic leaders in our department today. I feel like we are passing on to our subordinates what was taught to us.

    • I agree that it doesn't take long for someone to show their true colors and for us to know who the true authentic leaders are and which one to stay away from if at all possible.

  • Developing authentic leadership is critical because the buy in and loyalty from subordinates will never develop if they do not see that you are fully committed to your position and the department.

    • I do agree as well, I feel that having those five qualities all coincide together in order to make you a authentic leader. Knowing that you have each and every quality will show your organization a whole new way of leading.

  • Authentic Leadership is very much a core for trust and confidence. I have seen where others pretend to be something they are not and eventually the pretense is lost. When those who follow them see them for what they are all their leadership influence is lost. I believe that a big part of finding the right leadership style is knowing what leader type of leader you are. When looking at natural leaders their power comes from being themselves. The reason they have such conviction and stay true to their mission and values is because they are simply being themselves. The four principles of thought process, emotional intelligence, inner drive, and deepest core values are often seen by all because the leader is simply being true to who they are. While imitation may be the highest form of flattery, authenticity is the truest form of leadership.

  • Major Stacy Fortenberry

    It was a small part of this module but one that is important. Bill Georges short video Innerwork touched on how to keep yourself on track. One of his points was to have a trusted group of advisers who you can share your thoughts and they will give you honest feedback. We have a small group that started around the same time and have grown together. We keep each other real by heart felt honest advise and some times critics. Its not always pleasant but the frank discussions are invaluable.

    • I completely agree with your point on having a trusted group of advisors to help you grow. I am lucky in the fact that my wife is a mental health professional and a police officer. She is my constant sounding board. If you ask her, she'd tell you how different I now am in comparison to when we first got married. She's my harshest critic and my biggest supporter.

  • Lieutenant John Champagne

    Integrity is a foundation on which leadership is built and must be the same on and off the job. Officers can quickly identify that authentic leader who demonstrates integrity. These leaders influence their subordinates to do the right thing and are the ones who will guide the agency in the years to come

  • As a leader I always strive to be authentic in every aspect of my life. Being authentic allows me to be more interpersonal with my colleagues and others who work around me. I want people to know I am authentic and I have deep core values. I want to lead by example and inspire my team to do the same. As Dr. Normore pointed out, Authentic Leadership is reciprocal and is a process of that is created by the leader and the followers.

  • Burke

    This was an important module for me. Being authentic plays a big role in my leadership. Without it, you are just supervising a bunch of people. Being authentic, inspires your people to authentic as well. It comes down to what type of leader and what type of outcome do you want in life. Do you want to see you agency excel into the new area, or do you want to just get by and not make waves?

  • McKinney

    I enjoyed the video presentation. There was a significant amount of information that spoke on an authentic leader. I have found in this profession of law enforcement that must leaders are real/genuine, and they stand firm in their integrity, whether it is on the job and or off. I agree with Dr. Normore that the foundation of the five mentioned virtues starts with integrity. I believe integrity is the most respected asset that a person possesses.

    • Burke

      I agree that your being authentic starts at integrity. I will say that I think it is no greater than the other virtues. Integrity by itself can not hold up an authentic leader.

    • Mckinney,
      I completely agree with you that Integrity should be the most respected asset a person can possesses. Being authentic starts with and ends with integrity. No matter how you look at it, you must be true to yourself, true to others and do the right thing no matter what. I too agree with Dr. Normore that integrity is the foundation of authenticity, especially in a leader. The examples of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin were spot on. They were both leaders and had the 4 other qualities, but they had no integrity.
      Thanks for sharing your discussion.

      • Integrity is the key to authentic leadership. When a leader has integrity it allows others to trust that person. A leader must also have more than just integrity to be an effective leader.

    • Major Stacy Fortenberry

      I agree that integrity is the cornerstone. I also think that to romaine trusted and relevant the leader will need all virtues. without all of them they wil eventually fail to be a true authentic leader and reach their full potential.

    • I agree that integrity is a key asset. The "fake" leaders are easy to spot and while some may skyrocket up, they quickly burn out and fall back to Earth. It is always best to be who you are than pretend to be something you are not.

    • This video does reinforce the need for positive focused leaders in the current state of public safety today. It is important to be a positive beacon for younger personnel and others seeking motivation and influence. It is essential to provide what our agency needs to provided with authentic leadership during more focused times.

  • Lance Landry

    An Authentic Leader is one that truly knows him/her self. They possess the emotional intelligence to build positive relations with their subordinates with open communication. Their inner drive is strengthened through “real world experiences” which is shared with employees, and they develop deep core values such as moral perspective, strong ethics, and self-disclosure. When a leader has insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity, they have truly become an Authentic Leader.

  • Donnie

    I believe in the five marks of an authentic leader (insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity). For me, the greatest of these are initiative and integrity. Any person with any ounce of initiative can accomplish great things. When I was in the military I would encourage my soldiers who completed tasks before the “close of business” to continue their training with basic skills testing and knowledge. I would prompt them to study the things that would be useful for us in combat. I would tell them that anybody could lead that type of “hip pocket” training. I also believed that as a leader that I should lead by example. I would try to lead righteously but not be self-righteous. I would promote good ethical behavior and expect the same of them.

  • Royce Starring

    Authentic leader must possess the five qualities of insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity to be an effective leader. They all have equal value but in my opinion integrity is slightly above the rest.

  • Rocco Dominic, III

    Authentic leaders provide their follower with insight, while showing how initiative can benefit each other, An authentic leader also influences their people by making real and lasting change. This is achieved through integrity. Leaders are to be deliberate and intentional if they are to be successful.

  • Christian Johnson

    I would like to give this lesson to every new Deputy that joins my Agency.

    Authentic Leadership is inspiring. Based on insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity, it is leading by example and truly caring about others.

    Being an authentic leader leads to a truly trusting relationship with your personnel. Once that is achieved, the sky is the limit.

  • David Ehrmann

    All leaders should strive to be authentic. Authentic leaders will gain more respect from their followers. Within an agency, we can identify who the authentic leaders are. They are the ones who lead by example. They demonstrate high integrity, have positive values and are consistent in their actions. With the generational differences in law enforcement, today and the negative stigma law enforcement officers have to deal with daily, it is essential to have authentic leadership to help guide the organization to prepare them for what is next to come.

    • Lance Landry

      Agree with you whole-heartedly David, the perception of law enforcement has changed in the last 5 years. Never has it been more important for us to have Authentic Leaders.

  • Roanne Sampson

    I learned that an authentic leaders are honest, good and have a high level of integrity. There are three viewpoints (interpersonal, developmental and interpersonal). Authentic leaders understand purpose, have strong values, establish trusting relationships, demonstrate self-discipline, are passionate about their mission, build strong relationships, and motivate. The principles of authentic leadership deals with the thought process, emotional intelligence, inner drive and deepest core values. Authentic leaders must have insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity. Authentic leaders are "deliberate and intentional."

  • Amanda Pertuis

    Influence - Real leaders are contagious. I really like this and agree. I see how some of my Shift Managers are able to "infect" their people to do more. Unfortunately, I also think negative leaders are able to "infect" also.

    • David Ehrmann

      Very true. Authentic leaders will bring out the good in their people. They are the type of leaders that people want to work for. As you said, bad leaders who “infect” people with their poor leadership can cause a team or division to be in disarray.

    • Christian Johnson

      I agree completely, Amanda.

      I too have seen people infected with positive and negative feelings and behaviors.

      It is our duty to teach the next generation to strive for better.

    • Rocco Dominic, III

      So very true, Just as a good leader can infect their people a negative leader can ruin it. As leaders we must strive to lead by example with integrity.

    • Lieutenant John Champagne

      I agree and feel that the cynical leaders infect the most because it's the most noticeable and make the biggest waves.

  • Clint Patterson

    Being an authentic leader is being real. Many times people in leadership roles do not establish a trusting relationship with others they supervise. They may be in a position of authority or higher rank, and that is all they use to lead a division or department. The ability to be real and authentic by developing strong relationships with your subordinates and listening well to them, I think it will gain more significant followers. If we want to be more effective leaders, then we should remain genuine, don’t change who you are, and always be known as the leaders who “walk their talk.”

    • Roanne Sampson

      This lesson was very enlightening. This should be taught early on in a officer's career. We must be true to ourselves and be real,

  • Laurie Mecum

    I think the reference to Hitler proves that if a leader does not have integrity they are not an authentic leader. This is definitely the type of leader everyone should strive to be, especially in law enforcement. Its about being honest, ethical and acting on your own values.

  • Judith Estorge

    I found the reference to Hitler and Stalin as leaders interesting. It is essential to have all 5 qualities listed: insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity to be a true Authentic Leader.

    • Donnie

      I thought this was an interesting comparison as well. To see that each one Dr. Normore named met 4 out of 5 of those qualities leads one to realize that all are required to be authentic. It put leadership and great leadership in perspective. It made me think some leaders authenticity can be evil and only self-promoting.

  • David Cupit

    The best leaders embody the five qualities that we learned about today. Insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity are needed to be a true authentic leader. People long for a leader who is honest, good and stands up for their beliefs and values..

  • Brian Lewis

    For me it is quite simple; if you are not authentic, you will not be trusted by your subordinates. I've seen it way too often where a leader is trying to please everyone instead of standing up for their own values. The subordinates can see this as well. This is why this type of leader is not asked for their insight during complex situations.

    • David Cupit

      I agree with you Brian. It's easier on the leader to avoid conflict and harder when they stick to their beliefs and values.

    • Samantha Reps

      I agree, being an authentic leader is vital in your organization. Staff pay attention more than we realize.

  • Chasity Arwood

    A leader must possess all five qualities in order to be an authentic leader. Both the employees of the department and the community need a trustworthy leader who will always do the right thing.

    • Henry Dominguez

      I agree all 5 are needed to be authentic but also genuine because both the employees and community will recognize when your fake. When you are genuine it shows your passion.

  • Lance Leblanc

    This video lecture about authentic leadership is something that I find important in law enforcement. Part of authentic leadership is acting with one's values. In law enforcement, there is a need for authentic leaders so employees can trust the leadership. Employees want honest good leaders,

    • Judith Estorge

      Lance, I agree officers want to know their leaders have integrity and will lead by example. The saying, "do as I say, not as I do" has been too often the mantra within our agency.

  • Drauzin Kinler

    Authentic leaders are the extraordinary leaders that have the ability to promote openness by building trusting, enthusiastic relationships with their subordinates. In developing these relationships, the organization benefits from the performance aspect of its followers. In all the examples that were noted, this is the style of leadership that many should strive to become. I think that with the millennial generation soon outnumbering the other generations in the workforce, this leadership style will need to be prevalent in order for organizations to accomplish their goals.

    • Clint Patterson

      Drauzin, I agree that authentic leadership will be more effective on the millennial generation. The millennials are known for being close to their parents and have issues with corporate environments, which is why I believe they will respond better to an authentic leadership style. The feeling of being in a strong relationship with their leader will give them a sense of belonging in the agency and lessen their concerns.

  • Nancy Franklin

    Authentic leadership is critically important in today's society, especially in the field of law enforcement. The public demands trustworthy leadership and it is our job in this profession of service to the community to work to meet the needs of those we serve. We accomplish this by displaying the characteristics and embodying the actions of true authenticity. The five marks of authentic leadership identified in this lecture: insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity are all very important in gaining a followership and promoting the good ethical values that will create a legacy of leadership through succession planning.

  • Mike Brown

    Being authentic should be the way you live your personal and professional life and it should rub off on how much impact you as a leader have on those around you. Dr. Normore's emphasis on Adolf Hitler stated that he had all of the qualities needed except integrity. When you evaluate all five virtues of an Authentic Leader, you quickly realize that this is something that you have to live and practice.

    • Lance Leblanc

      Mike, I agree to be an authentic leader, you must have the same values on-duty and off-duty. Integrity is one of the most important attributes an officer must-have.

    • Laurie Mecum

      I agree Mike...these qualities should be something that a person has at home as well as the workplace. Integrity and values should not be left at the doorstep when walking into work or out of your house. They need to be brought everywhere you go.

    • Denise Boudreaux

      I agree that you must have all five qualities to be an authentic leader. I believe that this is true in your personal life and in your professional life. Being an authentic leader is more about leading others and keeping to your core values and your purpose without wavering.

  • Jason Porter

    Authentic leadership I feel is the basis for everything you do in life. Being authentic should be the way you live your personal and professional life. Without the qualities mentioned in the module, where would you be? If you had no insight, no initiative, no influence, no impact and especially no integrity what would you do in life? You would probably have no job, no family, and basically no life. I don't know many people that don't have some or all of these traits.

  • Joey Prevost

    An leader must have all five of the qualities in order to be authentic. I liked how the lecture referenced some of the most notorious leaders in modern history that were known for their atrocities against mankind. Each had Insight, Initiative, Influence and Impact. All lacked integrity to bring it all together and make them authentic.

    • Jason Porter

      They had everything but integrity, I wonder if they thought they had integrity? That would be the true question. In their mind maybe they felt they were doing right. As we all know, they weren't.

    • Chasity Arwood

      Joey, i completely agree with you. A true leaders must possess all five qualities in order to be authentic.

    • Justin Payer

      Joey, You make a great point about the notorious leaders lacking integrity. I agree that to be authentic you must have all five qualities.

  • Dan Wolff

    This module about being an authentic leader has missed the mark of a few that I have seen while I was in the military. As I heard the definition, “acting in accordance with one’s values, preference, and needs as opposed to acting merely to please people or to obtain a reward or avoiding punishment by acting falsely”, it brought to mind of a couple people I served with. These individuals seem to go out of their way just to please upper management or knew what “blocks” they had to fill to be eligible for a reward. You could definitely see what their agenda was and they were the first to take glory and the first to point blame. Being authentic is just the opposite of what they did and much more. Interpersonal, development, and intrapersonal are great view points on how it’s developed with the characteristics of a leader of truth, honesty and integrity.

    • Joey Prevost

      Its obvious that such individuals were only out for themselves. They may have had some of the qualities of leadership, but lacked the most important one, Integrity.

  • Jarod Primicerio

    This module highlighted the five qualities of an authentic leader. While they are all crucially important to be successful, integrity always stands in the forefront. I really think Dr. Normore's emphasis on Adolf Hitler and his qualities of insight, initiative, influence, and impact were to the point. None of these matter if you don't have integrity.

  • Chris Corbin

    While all five of the qualities of an authentic leader are important, I believe that integrity is the most vital. I also believe that this is especially true in the law enforcement profession, as we have been tasked, and trusted, with enforcing the laws of our nation, which is inextricably linked by those that we serve with choosing right from wrong and always doing the right thing. Just as people will not follow a leader whom they do not respect, our citizenry will not grant us the authority required for success in our role as law enforcement professionals if we do not prove ourselves virtuous and therefore deserving of that authority.

  • Brian Johnson

    This module explains how leadership is about positive influence and the impact that we have on people. The foundation of leadership starts with honesty and trust. You can't be an Authentic leader without integrity. When you evaluate all five virtues of an Authentic Leader, you quickly realize that this is a life-long process of learning, developing. growing, which was discussed in one of the segments. One of my mentors always talks about integrity being a perishable skill, that it's easy for officers to make small mistakes, and when not held accountable, mistakes become bigger. Over time, they cross over into negative behavior that often leads to discipline. Authentic Leaders realize that accountability is often uncomfortable, but is required if we are going to be respected leaders. Open discussions about mission, vision, and core values is a simple why to reinforces our standards and how to model professional behavior.

    • Chris Corbin

      Brian, I couldn't agree more that integrity, along with many other virtues, are perishable skills. I have seen organizations grow and improve on their professionalism and their culture by dedicating themselves to improving in these skills, and have also seen organizations deteriorate when they lack such a commitment. Clearly, authentic leadership can only have been present in one of these types of scenarios.

    • Dan Wolff

      Brian Johnson,
      Enjoyed your discussion post on authentic leadership and I believe your mentor has a great point of integrity being a perishable skill. Having all the marks of a authentic leader of insight, initiative, influence, impact and integrity, however, as you said, becoming an authentic leader is a development over time. As the process stated in this module it’s a thought process, emotional intelligence, inner drive and deepest core values. Enjoyed your post
      Dan

    • Drauzin Kinler

      Brian, I agree integrity is the foundation of the authentic leader. Without a solid foundation, the remaining virtues will eventually collapse.

    • I agree that integrity is the most important component of being an authentic leader. I like the idea of integrity being a perishable skill. It is something you have to work 100% on each and every day.

    • Lt. Mark Lyons

      I agree. Authentic leadership is a life-long process where individual traits will need to be learned and developed over time and based on life experiences.

    • I totally agree with your assessment. When you look at each of the five characteristics you must realize each one is really a growth process that we develop into. Each characteristic complements the other.

  • Frank Acuna

    Authentic Leadership is very personal. In order to be an Authentic Leader, you must have the drive to impact the lives of those in your organization and do so for the right reasons. The theory of Authentic Leadership involves a well-rounded leader who is insightful, has initiative and influence, is impactful and most importantly possesses strong integrity. When striving to be an Authentic Leader, you must promote openness, enthusiastically seek to help and mentor your subordinates and improve individual and team performance.

    Frank

    • Monte Potier

      I strongly agree with your comment about Authentic Leadership in improve team performance. With officers that respect their leader they are motivated.

    • Nancy Franklin

      Frank, I agree that authentic leadership is personal and is gained through the impact you have on others. It is important to develop others around you and be an example of genuineness and authenticity.

    • Chad Blanchette

      Agreed. And I believe an authentic leader is not in it for themselves. They are part of something great and want to continue that legacy.

  • Kyle Turner

    Two points stood out to me during this module. 1. The measure of a leader is how much impact they had on those around them. And 2. Integrity determines the quality of impact a leader has. With integrity being the foundation of a leader's impact, I see more need to focus on this aspect of leadership and use their integrity and values as a lens to make all decisions. I realize that some decisions are in the gray and not immediately recognizable as in line with or opposed to one's values. In these situations its important to spend time to think through them thoroughly, seek feedback from others with high integrity, then make the decision. This also points out how important it is as a leader to surround yourself with others who have high levels of integrity.

    • I also really agree with the statement of "the measure of a leader is how much impact they had on those around them." I really feel that you can't be a good leader if you don't have the respect of at least the majority of the people that you lead. If you positively impact and influence them, you will most likely gain their respect. That shows that you are a good leader in more than one way and that they look up to you and want to follow the example that you set.

      • Paul Brignac III

        I totally agree. All of the knowledge in the world is useless if you do not have the respect of those you lead. People do not follow certifications, they follow actions. In my opinion people respond to what you demonstrate, not just to what you know.

  • Monte Potier

    I believe that the 5 qualities of an authentic leader (insight, initiative, influence, impact, and integrity) are needed to be a true "authentic leader. All of the qualities are needed so subordinates will follow the leader and truly trust that he has both the employees and the organization well-being in mind.

    • Frank Acuna

      Monte, I believe a good leader will have a good mix of all five qualities and those who do will be most effective. I also believe the most important quality is integrity. A leader with strong integrity will promote good and moral actions and model strong leadership behavior.

      Frank

      • Jarod Primicerio

        Agree Frank. I have worked with and for many leaders who possess all or some of these qualities and those who don't have integrity, fall short every time. Once that is spotlighted from subordinates, they are no longer a leader.

        • Miranda Rogers

          I agree that Integrity is a quality we should never leave home without. As stated by Doctor Normore, "It's the foundation of authentic leadership".

      • Lt. Richard Paul Oubre

        Frank, you are correct, on the mix of the five qualities to be an authentic leader. The most important is integrity.

      • Ryan Manguson

        I agree. Integrity is the most important quality that a leader can have. A good mix of all five is important but without strong integrity you will not maintain the trust of those who follow.

    • Travis Linskens

      I agree, Monte. In order to be an authentic leader you must have a mixture of all 5 qualities and to me integrity is the most critical for your followers in order to build trust.

    • Steve Mahoney

      I agree that all five would make a good authentic leader. I do believe the most important one is integrity. Without integrity the other qualities don't really matter. Integrity is what will get people to want to follow you and not have to follow you

    • Jack Gilboy

      I truly agree, you cannot be an "authentic leader" missing any one of those qualities. They are all essential to be authentic.

    • Elliot Grace

      Monte,

      I agree with you, all of the qualities build off of each other and minus one of the qualities, the authentic leader is nonexistent.