Charismatic Leadership

Has perception of charismatic leadership changed the playing field for the types of leaders that organizations are in search of? Many feel that the weight of the leader’s charisma as the focus of leadership needs to be re-examined. As a result, the charismatic leader may be viewed probably as one of the most contentious leadership styles because of the focus on the leader’s personal characteristics, often defining them as narcissists. Given the large number of narcissists at the helm or corporations today, the challenge facing organizations is to ensure that such leaders do not self-destruct or lead the company to disaster (Maccoby, 2000).

According to McLaurin & Al Amri (2008) charismatic leaders can be defined as those who have a high self confidence, a clear vision, engage in unconventional behavior and action as a change agent, and while remaining realistic about environmental constraints. When you hear the names President Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, Adolf Hitler or Larry Ellison; whether or not one can categorize their leadership style, most people are familiar with the effect that these leaders have had on society or business. These leaders have demonstrated qualities that have caused them to be known as “charismatic leaders.”

Charismatic leaders are often sought out to save or lead organizations through the next level of challenges. In spite of their charisma, a charismatic leader does not guarantee successful outcomes for the organization. This was the case for AT&T when they brought on board Michael Armstrong (Lambert, 2001). This was the leader that Lambert (2002) featured in article on charismatic leaders. He described Armstrong as the “knight in shinning armor” hired to save AT&T. After...

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...tic leader’s possible self-centeredness and the probable negative effects of charismatic leadership (McLaurin & Al Amiri, 2008).

The transaction leader differs approach differs from the transformational leader. In general it is motivated by a change taking place. According to McLaurin and Almiri, transactional leadership is a bargaining exchange process between the leader and the follower, lead to the expected or planned outcomes, focus on maintaining the status quo, does not consider the needs of the followers on an individual basis, and the flow of power is more stable than the transformational leader.

To reflect back on my original question; although the degree of charisma may continue to be on the radar for the selection and evaluation of leaders, in many ways this trait can add to the effectiveness of leaders and I believe will continue to a valued trait.