| This survey research study examined the relationship between employee perceptions of authentic leadership and planned organizational change outcome as well as employee perceptions of authentic leadership and response to planned organizational change. The research questions that guided this study are: What is the Relationship between Employee Perceptions of Authentic Leadership and Planned Organizational Change Outcome? What is the Relationship between Employee Perceptions of Authentic Leadership and Response to Planned Organizational Change?.;The study population consisted of 200 survey participants who were sought through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants were asked to think of one specific organizational change that was experienced, and thinking of this experience, completed a questionnaire consisting of existing and validated scales to measure perceptions of authentic leadership and response to organizational change. Organizational outcome was also measured in addition to organizational change type, organizational commitment, and basic demographics.;This study investigated and found positive and strong correlations between employee perceptions of authentic leadership (self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalized moral perspective) and response (cognitive, emotional, and intentional) to planned organizational change. This study also found positive and moderate correlations between employee perceptions of authentic leadership and organizational change outcome.;Consideration of the benefits of authentic leadership as it relates to change is particularly important to organizations due to the high rate of organizational change failure, which has been found to average around 70% over the past 50 years (Beer & Nohira, 2000; Burnes, 2009; Cope, 2003; Greiner, 1967; Hammer & Champy, 1993; Hughes, 2011; Keller & Aiken, 2009; Kotter, 2008; Maurer, 2010; Rogers et al., 2006; Senturia et al., 2008). The findings of this study provide further evidence for this dire situation where 93% of participants indicated that the planned organizational change effort did not succeed, by not meeting all intended goals.;This study provides empirical evidence for the positive effects of authentic leadership, specifically organizational change success and positive employee response to organizational change. It is possible that if organizations proactively develop and promote authentic leadership prior to or during an organizational change, the change effort may have greater potential for success. These findings will assist leaders and practitioners in adjusting leadership practices in selection and development of authentic leadership to ensure the optimization of leadership behaviors that enhance organizational change outcomes. |
