Authentic Leadership in Action:

Malala Yousafzai

In the modern-day world, Malala Yousafzai stands out as one of the most authentic

leaders whose leadership practices remain impactful to those around her. Mainly, Malala

leadership is characterized by unwavering courage, integrity as well as moral conviction

whenever she is pursuing what she believes is the right thing. Based on Johnson (2018)

explanation, authentic leadership is often defined by the ability of the leaders to know

themselves and then ensure they always act according to their true selves. Specifically, the

actions of an authentic leader are, in most cases, aligned with their core values even in the

instance they are faced with a challenging ethical dilemma. For the case of Malala, her

leadership has always been guided by her pursuit of remaining true to herself and acting

according to what she believes to be right. According to Christopher Novais’s article on “Malala

Inspires Leadership At Any Age”, Malala began her leadership journey at a young age (Malala

Inspires Leadership At Any Age, 2019). At her young age, Malala stood out publicly and

criticized the Taliban’s actions of restricting girls in Pakistan’s Swat Valley from engaging in

education. Instead of targeting personal gain, her advocacy was largely motivated by a deep

sense of justice and equality for the girls. Novais’s article further clarifies that despite Malala

facing a near-fatal assassination attempt at the age of fifteen, she continued to fight for the

educational rights of all girls. Generally, Malala’s constant determination to ensure her values

remain consistent with her actions positions her as one of the exemplary authentic leaders of this

era.

Demonstration of Authenticity

Malala represents an epic leader whose leadership has remained authentic throughout her

life. To a considerable extent, her authenticity is demonstrated by how she shows transparency,

humility along with unwavering commitment towards her mission. As Johnson (2018) indicates,

authentic leadership is defined by the ability of a leader to create trust essentially through

embracing ethical conduct together with relational transparency. For the Malala’s case, he

willingness to speak truth to power shows her genuine character as well as moral courage to do

what she believes to be right. As Novais indicates, Malala’s leadership emerges from her lived

experience and compassion for others rather than being performative (Malala Inspires

Leadership At Any Age, 2019). In showing her commitment to remaining authentic, Malala

claims that “I don't want revenge on the Taliban, I want education for sons and daughters of the

Taliban” (Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, 2025). Such a statement shows her personal

commitment towards achieving what she believes is best for her followers.

Impact on Followers and Lessons Learned

Authentic leadership demonstrated by Malala stands impactful to not only her followers

but equally to most of the global organizations. Through her decision to create the Malala Fund,

this leader has significantly influenced her advocacy for the education of girls in developing

nations. With the creation of the Malala Fund, Malala seeks to facilitate girls in pursuing

education and choosing their own future (Malala Fund, 2025). According to As Al Naqbi

(2023) analysis, the persistence demonstrated by Malala directly inspires young girls to pursue

leadership with an aim of fighting systemic injustices. Instead of complaining, this leader

showcases the need to always stand for what one believes in. To a significant extent, her

leadership approaches equally influence international policies on gender equality in education.

With the approach of standing against the restrictions by the Taliban, Malala made a call to the

international organizations to fight for the rights of girls to access education. On top of that, I

perceive her endurance as a way of demonstrating the need for the leaders to remain committed

to pursuing the best interests of their followers. Concisely, I find Malala's leadership an epic

illustration for leaders on the need for leaders to remain committed to authenticity.

References

Al Naqbi, S. (2023). Inspiring the Future: The Influence of Historical and Contemporary Role

Models on Women’s Leadership Paths.

https://www.preprints.org/frontend/manuscript/d83d3a612463cc3e25cb176368100ceb/do

wnload_pub 

Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (Director). (2025, November 5). Malala Yousafzai

(education activist) | Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard [Video recording].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO51SAyO784 

Malala Fund | Working for a World Where All Girls Can Learn and Lead. (2025). Retrieved

November 9, 2025, from https://malala.org/

Malala Inspires Leadership At Any Age. (2019, April 16). The Art Of.

https://www.theartof.com/articles/malala-inspires-leadership-at-any-age