HBS: Can the "Masks of Command" Coexist with Authentic Leadership?

Bill George, former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic and now a professor at the Harvard Business School, thinks he knows the answers.

George lays out the elements of "authentic leadership" in his book of the same name. They are:

"(1) pursuing purpose with passion: Authentic leaders must first understand themselves and their passions;

(2) practicing solid values: values are personal, but integrity is required of all leaders;

(3) leading with heart: it means having passion for your work, compassion for the people you serve, empathy for the people you work with, and the courage to make difficult decisions;

(4) establishing enduring relationships: people insist on access to, as well as openness and depth of relationships with, their leaders;

(5) demonstrating self-discipline: this requires accepting full responsibility for outcomes and holding others accountable for their performance."