Authentic leadership in a Swedish context : Knowing, showing and remaining true to one’s real self

Sammanfattning: This study aims to explore and create a deeper understanding of companies' leadership and discover how national culture relates to authentic leadership in a Swedish context. In addition to the purpose, the following research question is formulated; What are the characteristics of authentic leadership in Swedish managers from an employee's perspective? This study is based on a qualitative study with a deductive approach to get a deeper understanding of the topic rather than a broader perspective. The empirical data was gathered through eight interviews with people who work in the private and public sectors of business, and interviews were conducted through Zoom. Our analysis identified two main themes, and these are connected to the national culture in Sweden. Swedish managers are skilled listeners and diplomatic leaders, which affects authenticity, showing how national culture can affect authenticity.