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Leader And Follower Attachment Styles : Implications For Authentic Leader Follower Relationship Essay

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Different attachment styles between leaders and followers are studied in a paper entitled Leader and Follower Attachment Styles: Implications for Authentic Leader–Follower Relationships in 2013. Attachment Theory is relevant to this study since authentic leadership argues that the leaders and followers are influenced by their personal histories. Attachment Theory states that individuals are influenced by both early developmental experiences and relationships later in life. How people interact with others leans toward three styles of attachment: secure, insecure-ambivalent and insecure-avoidant. The researchers argue that people who are securely attached are most likely to exhibit authentic leadership skills. Their research reviews how secure attachment is positively related to each of the four components of authentic leadership; self-awareness, relationship transparency, balanced processing and internalized moral perspective (Hinojosa, Davis McCauley, Randolph-Seng, & Gardner, 2014).
John Bowlby, the founder of Attachment Theory argues that human beings of all ages are happiest and able to use their talents to their best advantage when they are confident that they are supported by one or more trusted people who will come to their aid should difficulties arise. This is true whether it’s a toddler learning to walk away from a parent or that same toddler who has grown into an adult learning a new on-the-job skill. An important aspect of authentic leadership is a leader
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