Indicators of authentic leadership include which of the following?

• A. Charisma, popularity, and risk-taking.
• B. Self-awareness, transparency, and consistency with values.
• C. Hiding mistakes to maintain authority.
• D. Emphasizing short-term results over values.

Answer: (B)

Authentic leadership is shown when a leader is genuine, grounded in their values, and invites trust through visible self-awareness and openness. Self-awareness means knowing your strengths, weaknesses, and core values, so your actions align with what you truly believe. Transparency involves being open about motivations, decisions, and the reasons behind actions, rather than hiding information. Consistency with values means behaving in ways that reflect those core beliefs, even when it’s difficult, which builds trust and ethical credibility. Together, these traits create an authentic presence that followers can rely on.

Charisma, popularity, and risk-taking suggest influence or flair but don’t guarantee genuineness or value alignment. Hiding mistakes undermines trust, and emphasizing short-term results over values signals a misalignment with authentic leadership.