To what extent is 'Charisma' a useable category in the study o "Leadership" ?
...go, 1987, 1988) The Transformational Charismatic Leadership Transformational leader-people relationship are extremely emotional - By appealing to higher order need, the transformational leader generates peoples awareness and commitment to organizational mission which depends on four factors (i) idealized influence ( fostering a sense of mission among the people); (ii) inspiration – a captivating vision of how to achieve a future goal (iii) intellectual stimulation - encouraging to develop innovative solutions to a problem (iv) individual considerations – Employing a mentoring and developmental orientation with the people (Boss 1985a; Boss & Avolio 1994, Hater & Boss 1988) Behavioral Charismatic Leadership House etal (1991) described behavioral charisma in terms of relationship and how the leader actual or presumed behavior impacts peoples outcome; the behavioral aspect merges motivational (personality) bases of competent leadership with effectiveness. As developed by Meclelland and associates (1995a, 1985b) these motives include charismatic leader’s usually high need of power, low need for affiliation & achievements and high activity inhibitions (the use of power for organizational rather than personal goals). Attributional Charismatic Leadership Conger and Kanungo’s (e.g. 1990) suggests that charismatic leadership is an attributional phenomenon found on peoples perceptions of leader’s behavior. People observe and interpret leader’s behavior and traits as an expression of charisma. He suggests that charismatic behavior and traits need not to be present to an identical degree in every charismatic leader and their relative importance will vary with the situation. Conger and Kanungo (1990) evolution of charismatic leadership process involves three stages (a) environmental assessments, (b) vision formulation and (c) implementation. Leadership Qualities After thus having explained the theory of leadership, it is pertinent to give below the qualities of a leader. It is stated that leadership demands wisdom, vision, courage and sacrifice to motivate, inspire and move people. A leader must have emotional as well as intellectual competence for achievement of an objective. He must be able to manage himself by having achievements, commitments, initiative, self-awareness, self- confidence, self-control, selflessness, patience, faithfulness and kindness. Beside he must be able to handle relationships through communications, influence, networking, political awareness, building bonds, team work, inspiring others and developing others. A leader must have to have a versatile brain to think creatively and plan strategically to inspire his followers. He must have a touch to people imaginations and an appeal to their emotions to live up to their ideals. Effective leaders are positive, outgoing, emotionally expressive, dramatic, warmer, friendlier, cooperative, likeable, humorous, trustful, kind and gentle. A few quotes & proverbs are given below to explain the concept of leadership in human society. The Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, The Leader of the Future, (c) 1996 Leaders grow; they are not made. Robert K. Greenleaf The only test of leadership is that somebody follows. Unknown Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves. Chinese proverb An army of a thousand is easy to find, but, ah, how difficult to find a general. Lao Tzu Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men. Donald H. McGannon Leadership is action, not position. Fred Smith Leadership is getting people to work for you when they are not obligated. Anon A real leader faces the music, even when he doesn't like the tune. Marian Anderson Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it. James L. Fisher The main characteristics of effective leadership are intelligence, integrity or loyalty, mystique, humor, discipline, courage, self sufficiency and confidence. Harold J. Seymour Leaders are the ones who keep faith with the past, keep step with the present, and keep the promise to posterity. Peter Ferdinand Drucker Effective leadership is not about making speeches or being liked; leadership is defined by results not attributes. Harold J. Seymour When the leadership is right and the time is right, the people can always be counted upon to follow—to the end and at all costs. Charles deGaulle A true leader always keeps an element of surprise up his sleeve, which others cannot grasp but which keeps his public excited and breathless. Unkown A good leader inspires others with confidence in him; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves. Franklin D. Roosevelt A good leader can't get too far ahead of his followers. Tacitus Forethought and prudence are the proper qualities of a leader. Tom Landry Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve. John F. Kennedy Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. James L. Fisher Leadership is the special quality which enables people to stand up and pull the rest of us over the horizon. Dwight D. Eisenhower Leadership: the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. Manual on military leadership Good leaders develop through a never-ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience. Chinese proverb He who cannot agree with his enemies is controlled by them. Donald H. McGannon Leadership is action, not position. Anthony T. Dadovano A good leader is not the person who does things right, but the person who finds the right things to do. Walter Lippmann The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. Abigail Adams Great necessities call forth great leaders. Charles S. Lauer Leaders don't force people to follow—they invite them on a journey. Jesse Jackson Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must bring sides together. Max DePree (The Art of Leadership) The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. Leadership & Charisma It is said that charisma to a leader is like stem to a tree from which initiative, planning ability, practical ability, confidence, influencing ability, confidence, eloquence, mobility, brilliance, judgment, perception, vision, eagerness, keenness, will power, stability, balance maneuverability, stability, shrewdness, depth, cunningness of a leader branch-out… To a leader, power is the objective and power lies in the will of the people _ Greater the willingness of the people, more will be the following and higher will be the leader’s pedestal. Just as there are no trees without a stem, there are no leaders without a charisma. In fact the only thing which distinguishes a leader from the followers is charisma as it is the only magical ability of a person which mesmerizes commoners, captures their minds & soul, injects ideas in their brains and strives for the achievement of higher aims and objectives and makes them sacrifice their immediate personal interests for greater glory of their communal or national objectives. Charisma has always been a motivating factor for both, the leader as well as the led. It motivates leaders to lead and it motivates followers to follow the leader. It convinces the leader that no one else can put people on the chosen, just and correct track except him, therefore he is duty bound not to shy away from the responsibility of time, or not to miss the opportunity to evolve a following for acquiring power which he considers to be his divine obligation and a predestined right. Ever prevailing in-equality, injustice and deprivation are the breeding places and perfect settings for shaping-up leaders in all walks of life whether social, political, economical, religious or military. A person of above average intelligence studies the degree of injustice, inadequacy and deprivation of a society, community or a nationtionality and conceives a few bright ideas to neutralize the situation and to bring about equilibrium in the equation. The moment these ideas strike to his mind, a philosophy is born and a leader emerges to change the social, political, economical, religious or military order for good or for bad. The leader has to sell his philosophy to the people for developing a mass following for requisite change, he can not do it unless he has a charisma which could influence the people to except his words, follow his ideas, implement his schemes and create a nucleolus for further expansion to unknown people at close-by and at far flung places. The rise and fall of empires worked on the same principal - A leader arose to bring about more and more people under his influence and more and more areas under his control so that the benefits of his philosophy could reach the utmost out-posts. As he extended his influence, he invariably invited counter forces tending to restrict the onslaught of a foreign philosophy against well-established local settings - Extension / expansion of influence generates dual tendencies; One to exert more influence for retention of the controlled areas & second to counter those who rise against the expanding and over gulfing alien influence. In perspective of such actions and counter actions, if any thing can sustain the external and internal pressure and help in the maintenance of social fabric it is Charisma of the leader. History of Julius Caesar is vivid to the people. His empire lasted so long his charismatic personality remained alive, it crumpled with his demise. Adolf Hitler created a storm in the world, but it s...