The effect of authentic leadership on task performance in project organizations

In today's world where rapid transformation and complexity prevail, projects have become a dynamic process that goes beyond a structured task sequence and combines strategic vision, adaptability and interdisciplinary collaboration. This study examines the effects of authentic leadership on task performance in project organizations. Data were collected from 234 individuals working in various projects and the findings were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results confirm that there are significant and positive relationships between authentic leadership and job autonomy, job retention and task performance. In addition, it was found that job autonomy partially mediates the relationship between authentic leadership and task performance, while job retention plays a full mediating role. This study shows how authentic leadership increases employees' autonomy and commitment, ultimately improving their performance in project environments and contributes to the leadership literature in the field of project management. Considering the dynamic and uncertain nature of project environments, this study offers contributions for both researchers and practitioners.