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The purpose of this study is to better understand what components impact the creation of organizational leaders’ social capital. The study further seeks to illuminate the effects of participating in a leadership development seminar on the creation of social capital in global contexts.

The data was collected through questionnaires from 540 leaders across 69 countries of a global firm. The hypotheses that were developed from existing literature were tested using regression analysis. Quantitative scales were created by averaging the responses to the pertinent survey items. The reliability of these scales was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. Factor analysis was performed to assess whether the items from each scale measure distinct constructs.

The results of this research showed effects of three components (interactive opportunities, individual-owned resources and motivational interactivity constraints) on social capital. Specifically, the research substantiated that these components differently impacted advice ties and social relations.

The study showed that firm leaders’ advice ties and social relations were differently impacted by identified components. With this in mind, organizations need to consider how they enhance and maintain the balance between advice ties and social relations among their leaders.

Empirical testing targeting organizational leaders in a global firm helped reveal findings in which variables impact their social capital. Based on the findings, this paper presents a framework that shows the identified components’ impacts on social capital ties and social relations.

Despite increasing interest and scholarship on authentic leadership, definitions of the construct remain contested. In addition, limited research exists on its enactment in practice and its sustainability in a global context. The purpose of this study was to explore the practice of authentic leadership and understand more about how it is cultivated and sustained.

To address these issues, an international sample of leaders nominated by peers as exemplifying authenticity in their leadership was interviewed. This study used consensual qualitative research (CQR; Hill, 2012; Hill et al., 1997), a team-based, exploratory methodology, to conduct data analysis.

This study describes the results of the analysis, highlighting leaders’ beliefs, values and behaviors; their leadership development and the barriers and supportive factors they experienced as leaders. The findings from this exploratory analysis across all cases, including subgroups, may help contextualize the complexity of authentic and sustainable leadership and provide better understanding of authentic leadership development.

Additional research on social identities and training in leadership are critical. The results of this study suggest new directions in studying the development of authentic leaders as well as in researching the experiences of organizations and team members.

This study provides insight and direction for individuals and organizations seeking to better understand the practice of authentic leadership, its development and how it can be sustained over time and across contexts and social identities.

This exploratory approach involving interviews with leaders around the globe provides information about the direct lived experiences of leaders identified as authentic by their peers. This study further highlights the leaders’ critical leadership beliefs and practices, as well as ways in which they cultivated and learned to sustain their leadership practices. This study also sheds light on ways in which experiences might differ across gendered and cultural contexts.