Abstract
M.Phil.
Numerous authors have highlighted that there is a dire crisis in leadership for which a new type of leader is required: an authentic leader. Greater authenticity is required from leaders if they are to restore the trust of their followers in them. Authenticity is furthermore something that others must attribute to a person and cannot be expressed freely. The expectations and roles of leaders are such that they have to control the express of their inner authenticity. The influence of temperament on the individual is such that every person’s experience and conceptualisation of authenticity could potentially differ from that of another. In light of the aforementioned the purpose of this study was to explore how leaders from different temperament types manage their individual authenticity to add more value to themselves as well as to others. The study followed a qualitative research approach and made use of the purposeful sampling technique. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II was utilised to identify the temperament types of research participants with whom semi-structured interviews were conducted. The study found that leaders across the four temperament types of Guardian, Idealist, Artisan and Rational define authenticity as a commitment to the true ‘self’, while self-awareness was identified as a critical component in the management of authenticity.