Bill George: Guiding two decades of the authentic leadership movement

Abstract

Purpose

Over the last two decades Bill George has been researching the basic ingredients of authentic leadership through one of the most extensive empirical studies of leadership ever undertaken. He and his team have extended their research to include both international and rising generation leaders and parlayed their findings into a development process aimed at helping current and aspiring leaders to become both more authentic and effective. His latest book, True North: Leading Authentically in Today’s Workplace (Emerging Leader Edition), is co-authored with Zach Clayton.

Design/methodology/approach

Interview with authors Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic, and Zach Clayton, CEO of Three Ships, conducted by Brian Leavy, Emeritus Professor of Strategy at Dublin City University Business School, a Strategy &Leadership contributing editor and author of the S&L masterclass, “ Effective leadership today – character, not just competence.

Findings

Authentic leaders engender trust and develop genuine connections, which enables them to motivate people to achieve high levels of performance.

Practical implications

“I believe the hardest person you will ever have to lead is yourself.” -- Bill George

Originality/value

“The authors interviewed hundreds of CEOs and found that the self-awareness that they develop in the process of self-discovery is the most essential determinant of their effectiveness as a leader.”

Citation

Leavy, B. (2023), "Bill George: Guiding two decades of the authentic leadership movement", Strategy & Leadership, Vol. 51 No. 3, pp. 3-9. https://doi.org/10.1108/SL-02-2023-0022