Authentic leadership: Taylor’s version

Purpose The purpose of this manuscript is to explore an assignment given to students in an online survey of leadership theory and practice graduate course to help them learn and apply information on authentic leadership theory and critically examine the literature on this theory through a feminist lens. Design/methodology/approach After studying authentic leadership theory, students were prompted to examine Taylor Swift’s public statements, actions and impact on her industry and society and how her words and actions support or refute her status as an authentic leader. Students were challenged to examine how Swift’s gender impacts her status as an authentic leader and to critically examine how the demographics of the authors who developed this theory could affect its application. Findings Students critically engaged with the concept of authentic leadership, thoughtfully applied their knowledge to a real-world case study, and displayed an understanding of the interplay of gender and authentic leadership. Originality/value Recommendations are provided to inspire new ideas for leadership educators who seek to prepare students to understand (the often gender-influenced) applications of authentic leadership in a modern setting.