Authentic leadership outcomes in detail-oriented occupations: Commitment, role-stress, and intentions to leave

In recent years there has been a growing scholarly interest in authentic leadership, a leadership style that fosters positive psychological capacities and a positive ethical climate. This study focuses on the Certified Public Accounting profession, which is known as a detail-oriented occupation. We examined if Certified Public Accounting managers exhibiting an authentic leadership style were capable of strengthening the commitment of their subordinates and, at the same time, reducing role-stress and intentions to leave. The hypotheses were tested on a sample of 512 Certified Public Accountings in Israel using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that perceived authentic leadership was negatively related to role-conflicts and role-ambiguity, directly and through the mediation of affective commitment. In addition, the negative correlation between authentic leadership and intention to leave was fully mediated by affective commitment. Limitation and applications for organizations are discussed.