The Erasmus iHiLead Program held a Pilot of Staff Training Workshop for Leadership Management Development Program (LMDP) at the Indonesian Islamic University (UII) Campus on 11-15 July 2022. After the opening session on the first day, the activity continued with discussion and discussion of leadership development training modules at University.
The first module on Authentic Leadership was discussed on Tuesday (12/7) with the speaker Dr.rer.nat. Dian Sari Utami, S.Psi., MA (UII), Dr. H. Ahmad Muttaqin (Ahmad Dahlan University), and the submission of conclusions by the Chancellor of UII, Prof. Fathul Wahid, ST, M.Sc., Ph.D. The participants were representatives of Lecturers and Education Staff from UII, Ahmad Dahlan University, Brawijaya University, Semarang State University, Padjadjaran University, Presidential University, and STIE Malangkuḉeḉwara.
Authentic Leadership is a leadership style of how a leader becomes an authentic individual in leading an organization such as in a university. Dian Sari Utami explained that the theme of Authentic Leadership is one of the six modules that will be presented in the LMDP activities.
Dian Sari Utami in her presentation explained that there are several components in Authentic Leadership. The first is self-awareness or self-awareness, namely how a leader can know the strengths, weaknesses, and values that can be used to develop the organization.
Second, how can a leader build the principle of transparency in interacting with others. “This concept tries to adopt the concept of Prophetic Leadership as exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad SAW, which is packaged with a universal point of view,” explained the Director of Partnerships/Office of International Affairs at UII.
According to Dian Sari Utami, this can be illustrated by the principle of tabligh from the characteristics of the Prophet, that is, when a leader interacts with other people, he can also understand and listen to other people’s thoughts. Thus, an element of trust will appear and a sense of security for others.
Third, continued Dian Sari Utami, moral ethics is how a leader can build ethics, morality and honesty. Leaders can present themselves as they are, so that what is said is in harmony with their actions. “A leader can display honesty. What is said is in harmony with what is done. His actions matched his words. For example, when he asks to come on time, he automatically has to be on time,” he explained.
Furthermore, the fourth, maintaining balance, namely how a leader can convey information in a balanced manner. When can information be conveyed in a balanced, proper and correct manner to its members, colleagues or leaders.
“So we convey it correctly, there is evidence. For example, in a meeting that has been agreed upon, then because it is not in accordance with individual interests, after the meeting is over, it is changed again, “said Dian Sari Utami.
In this discussion session with the theme of Authentic Leadership, vulnerability was also mentioned. According to Dian Sari Utami, Humans are actually full of weaknesses and vulnerabilities. “How to try to accept the weaknesses that we have can also make them strengths,” he said.