Determinants of Follower Perceptions of a Leader’s Authenticity and Integrity

This study proceeds from the perspective that a leader’s authenticity and integrity must be recognizable to the members of a work unit in order for these qualities to make a difference in the degree or nature of the leader’s influence. The study builds from previous studies in cognitive and social psychology to develop and apply a model of person perception. The study examines how actions and attributes of a leader and aspects of the situation in which leaders and followers interact may affect the agreement among followers concerning the authenticity and integrity of a leader. Propositions are developed for empirical testing in future research.