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Charismatic Leadership

 

Much has been written about charismatic leaders in nearly all phases of public life. Lee Iacocca, formerly of Chrysler; Bill Gates of Microsoft; Michael Jordan and Bobby Knight of basketball fame are examples of charismatic leaders. Charisma has become even more important because of companies' need to inspire employees to higher levels of performance to meet stiff competition. If we can find out what makes a leader charismatic, then we may be able to advance our organizations and motivate employees like never before. Thus, a closer look at charisma is warranted.

Charismatic leaders tend to inspire followers to a higher level of performance, instil confidence in leader and self, and generate devotion and unquestioned obedience. They are sometimes viewed as saviours, as in the case of Lee Iacocca at Chrysler. Charismatic leaders have a strong sense of dominance, self-confidence, a need to influence, and a belief in the value and righteousness of their causes. They are typically good speakers who can eloquently express ideas that often border on or exceed the hazardous or the revolutionary. John DeLorean, for example, was revolutionary in his automobile designs, but unfortunately was also reckless with financial resources.

For our purposes, it is more important to know what charismatic leaders actually do, especially in the business world. They tend to promote causes that deviate greatly from the status quo. They take personal risks that often appear heroic and engage in uncon­ventional behaviour to achieve the changes they desire. They assess the environment realistically and implement innovative strategies when the environment appears favourable. Finally, they engage in self-promotion to inspire employees or followers, often by presenting the status quo as negative and their ideas and themselves as the solution. Finally, charismatic leaders maintain intensely personal relationships with their followers, based on emotional rather than rational grounds.

Contrary to traditional beliefs, not only can many of these behaviours be learned, but they represent a separate dimension of leadership behaviour, distinct from consideration or initiating structure, that enhances employees' task performance and satisfaction. Charismatic leadership may help convey the importance of a given task, while initiating structure conveys the orderliness of the task, and consideration expresses the shared responsibility for the task.

 

 

1. Which of these statements expresses the main idea of the text?

 

a) Charisma has become especially important because of companies' need to inspire employees to higher levels of performance to meet stiff competition.

b) Charismatic leaders tend to inspire followers to a higher level of perfor­mance, instil confidence in leader and self, and generate devotion and absolute obedience.

c) Charismatic leaders tend to promote causes that differ greatly from the present situation.

d) Charismatic leadership may help convey the significance of a given task, while initiating structure conveys the orderliness of the task, and consideration expresses the joint responsibility for the task.



 

2. Are these statements true or false? Correct the false ones.

 

a) If we can learn what makes a leader charismatic, then we may be able to improve our organizations and motivate employees much better.

b) Charismatic leaders are characterized by a strong sense of dominance, self-confidence, a need to influence, and uncertainty about the value and justice of their causes.

c) Charismatic leaders take personal risks that seldom prove to be heroic and engage in unusual behaviour to get the changes they wish.

d) Charismatic leaders assess the situation rationally and apply new and original approaches when the environment seems favourable.

e) Charismatic leaders engage in self-promotion to suppress employees or followers.

f) Though charismatic leader’s behaviours represent a separate dimension of leadership behaviour, most of them cannot be learned.

 

4. Answer the questions.

 

a) Which of charismatic leaders mentioned in the text do you know most about?

b) Why are charismatic leaders thought to be good speakers?

c) What thing about charismatic leaders is more important for business?

d) Are personal relationships that charismatic leaders maintain with their followers based on rational grounds?

5. Write a summary of the text.

 

TEXT 27


Date: 2015-01-02; view: 857


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