The Magic of Leadership Charisma and its Redress

Orientation Charismatic Leadership and the uniqueness of the special leader Examine maps of the New Leadership Pioneers Transformational and transactional leadership Dilemma of the ego driven transformational leader Empowerment and the alignment between organizational and individual goals Shift of focus to upper-level leadership

The Dilemma of Charisma   Think about the following questions What does being charismatic mean to you? Have you ever met a person whom you would describe as charismatic? What qualities made this person so special? Would you be happy with her/him as a leader of your organization? Why? Do you believe you possess some of the qualities of a charismatic person? Are there ways you can acquire charismatic qualities?

Robert House and Path-Goal Theory Claim that way leader behaves with respect to goals and followers influences the leadership impact Leadership effectiveness is shaped by situational circumstances In line with contemporary theories at the time, focus on leader’s consideration of followers’ needs and the task structure Emphasis is placed on structuring the psychological maps of the followers, using motivational approach developed through valence theory Situations of ambiguity draw more on directional leadership and repetitive work contexts require more consideration and encouragement Transactional nature of early work led House to reformulate theory to be more aligned with new leadership ideas

Bernard Bass & Full Range Leadership Model Core assumptions of self-interest and personal development Transactional leadership transactional leaders respond to followers’ immediate self-interests leader identifies with what followers want & helps them achieve level of performance that results in rewards that satisfy them Transformational leadership leaders influence workforces to go beyond simple self-interests leader has ability to inspire and motivate followers to achieve results greater than originally planned and for internal rewards

Bass’s Research on Transactional & Transformational Leadership Idealized influence - charisma Inspirational motivation Intellectual stimulation Individualized consideration Transactional leadership Contingent rewards & Constructive transactions Management by exception Laissez-faire leadership

Charisma & Transformational Leadership Bass’s model examined using Multifactor leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) Two similar and differentiable leadership styles? Idealisation of leader Inspirational content of leader’s words or vision Together a measure of charismatic leadership style Provides an expanded picture of leadership that includes the exchange of rewards & leader’s attention to growth of followers Places a strong emphasis on followers’ needs, values, and morals - motivated to transcend self-interests for good of team Best leaders are both transformational and transactional

Jay Conger and Empowerment Appreciation of dilemmas associated with empowerment Theoretical rationale based on social learning theory Individuals feel empowered through experience of Evidence that they are actually being successful Recognition of progress, by words of encouragement General emotional support Powerful role models Creative jolts to expectations Jolt followers out of sense of negativity & behavioural impotence through act of leadership

Conger - Dark Side of Leadership Conger warns of dangers associated with high-profile leadership practices Looks at leaders first hailed as exemplary & later as misguided or morally suspect Leader’s distort vision to meet egocentric ambitions Leader develops sense of invulnerability & belief in ‘rightness’ of their vision Failure of charismatic leader due to: Commitment to vision – shift to single-minded obsessiveness Authentic communication – with vision as extension of leader’s personality needs communication is les authentic Style of charismatic leader – exclusion and stereo-typing

James McGregor Burns on Empowerment Burns is pioneer of transformational leadership Transforming nature of a leadership act understood through unexpected and individualistic action of individual Leadership roles exist in web of relationships which offer insights into how values impact on leadership The ethical dimension Social values Socially desired goals Initiating acts trigger value-laden reactions by individuals acting out three roles Dilemmas of empowerment who empowers who? To whose purpose?

Jim Collins on the Fifth Level Leader Beyond Charisma Collins examined features of exceptional companies From 1400 companies eleven chosen as showing sustained excellence. The strongest differentiating factor of these companies termed ‘level five leadership’ Level 1 – Individual‘s talent, knowledge, & skills are key contribution Level 2 – Leadership as collaborative team efforts Level 3 – Competent manager, effectively organizes towards predetermined goals Level 4 – Effective leader, promoting commitment to compelling vision & high performance standards Level 5 – Executive builds great companies, exercising of personal humility combined with assertiveness (willfullness)

Summary Fundamental map - charismatic leadership & relationship with new leadership thinking Transformational leadership contrasted with economic exchange models of transactional leadership Exposes mechanisms through which leaders manage change Bass presents each leaders as having elements across a range of leadership styles. Transformational leaders incorporate some transformational behaviours Transformation maps imply leadership development is possible at all organizational levels Acceptance of charismatic leader ignores the dilemma of the self-seeking and destructive leader who is ‘taken on trust’.