Abstract:
Organizations often try to foster authentic leadership in their
employees to achieve stability and reduce costly turnover. The
present study empirically evaluated as why there is a low level of
perceived authentic leadership with the effect of four dimensions
of psychological capital as self-efficacy, hope, resilience and
optimism of the executive grade employees of ABC Company in
apparel industry in Sri Lanka. The study was carried out with the
entire 66 executive level employees without going for a sample.
Data were collected through a standard and validated
questionnaire survey. Perceived Authentic Leadership was
measured by using the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ)
and the psychological capital was measured by using Psychological
Capital Questionnaire (PCQ). Data were analyzed by using the
multiple linear regression in backward elimination method.
Whereas self- efficacy, hope and resiliency had a positive and
significant impact on perceived authentic leadership, optimism had
no any significant impact on perceived authentic leadership among
the executive grade employees of ABC Company in apparel
industry in Sri Lanka. This study contributes new knowledge to the
apparel industry by suggesting the appropriateness of three
dimensions of psychological capital in enhancing authentic
leadership. PsyCap can provide enormous benefits for leaders to
explore their potential as a fundamental asset in authentic
leadership. The contemporary businesses should be duty-bound to
conduct an employee awareness program explaining significance of
the psychological capital especially on the way of leading people
authentically.
