The reality of authentic leadership: the rugby football league challenge

Purpose/rationaleThe aim of this paper is to increase the understanding in the area of authentic leadership (AL) within executive leader practice in a UK commercial sport national governing body (NGB).Design/methodology/approachTen interviews were conducted with members of the organisation's management group. The interviews were utilised to gain new insights into the levels of executive leader AL within a commercial sport governance environment. Interviews were analysed using an interpretive approach, and a thematic structure relating to AL in the commercial NGB context.FindingsAuthentic elements within the executive leadership team's practice were dependent on the organisational context and the impact of external factors on individuals and the NGB. Full engagement with the AL construct is curtailed by organisational structure and objectives.Practical implicationsThe findings and related existing literature, notably the debate on the universal acceptance of the AL construct, are integrated into the paper to contribute to the discourse on the leadership construct in a sport governance environment.Research contributionThe study contributes to the growing body of sport leadership within NGB literature and provides insights into the paradoxical nature of leadership and the executive leader ability to fully engage with all elements of the AL construct.