The aim of the present paper is to provide an analysis on leadership. According to Bolden (2004), defining leadership may be complex since it deals with various processes. Leadership is a procedure that allows a person to control and coordinate a particular group (Barnett, 2010). Furthermore, leadership adopts different approaches to attain its main goals. Depending on different views, there are numerous classifications that cope with it. However, this project is based on Kurt Lewin's categorisation. Therefore, three types of leadership will be mentioned and commented on: (a) Authoritarian or Autocratic Leadership, (b) Participative or Democratic Leadership, and (c) Delegative or Laissez-Faire Leadership (Cherry, 2006).
Bolden (2004) claims that leadership represents a phenomenon that involves different processes such as personal, social or organisational. Therefore, leaders have to fulfill different abilities in their attempt to be in charge of a group. Moreover, there are three elements to take into account: (a) leadership develops in a social context; (b) a leader and followers are needed; and (c) the leader influences on the followers performance (Barnett, 2010). When defining leadership, Avolio and Gardner (2005) mention the term authenticity, while Rogers and Maslow see authentic people as individuals that are in tune with their basic nature and clearly and accurately see themselves and their lives (cited in Avolio and Gardner, 2005: 319).
Further, there are more concepts related to authenticity that are relevant to understand leadership. These concepts are: (a) authentic leader, (b) authentic leadership and (c) authentic leadership development. Avolio, Luthans and Walumbwa (2004) interprets authentic leaders as: those who are deeply aware of how they think and behave and are perceived by others as being aware of their own and others values/moral perspectives, knowledge, and strengths; aware of the context in which they operate; and who are confident, hopeful, optimistic, resilient, and of high moral character.
