CHARISMA

Charisma is a Greek word that means divinely inspired

gift, such as the ability to perform miracles or predict
future events
Weber (1947) used the term to describe a form of influence
based not on tradition or formal authority but rather on
follower perceptions that the leader is endowed with
exceptional qualities.
According to Weber, charisma occurs during a social crisis,
when a leader emerges with a radical vision that offers a
solution to the crisis and attracts followers who believe in
the vision.
The followers experience some successes that make the
vision appear attainable, and they come to perceive the
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leader as extraordinary.
Transforming appeals to the moral values of
followers in an attempt to raise

Leadership their consciousness about

ethical issues and to mobilize
their energy and resources to
reform institutions.

Motivates followers by
appealing to their self-interest
Transactional and exchanging benefits.
Transactional leadership may
leadership. involve values, but they are
values relevant to the exchange
process, such as honesty,
fairness, responsibility, and
reciprocity.

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 Charismatic leader
behaviors

Some specific charismatic leader behaviors (House & Shamir,

1993):

Articulation of a vision,
Communication of high performance expectations of
followers
Demonstration of a high degree of confidence in followers
Emphasizing value and collective identification
Taking extraordinary risks
Making substantial personal sacrifices in the interest of the
charismatic mission.

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 Visionary leadership

The ability to create and articulate a realistic,

credible, attractive vision of the future for an
organization or organizational unit that grows out
of and improves upon the present.

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Consequences of Charismatic Leadership
Positive
Have a socialized power orientation.
They seek to instill devotion to ideology more
than devotion to themselves
They emphasize internalization rather than
personal identification
Self-sacrifice and leading by example are used
to communicate commitment to shared
values and the mission of the unit, not to
glorify the leader.
Authority is delegated to a considerable
extent, information is shared openly,
participation in decisions is encouraged, and
rewards are used to reinforce behavior
consistent with the mission and
objectives of the organization.
Negative
Personalized power orientation
Intentionally seek to instill devotion to themselves more than
to ideals.
Authority for making important decisions is centralized in the
leader, rewards and punishments are used to manipulate and
control followers, and information is restricted and used to
maintain an image of leader infallibility or to exaggerate
external threats to the organization.
They seek to dominate and subjugate followers by keeping
them weak and dependent on the leader.
May use ideological appeals, but merely as a means to gain
power, after which the ideology is ignored or arbitrarily
changed to serve the leaders personal objectives.
Decisions of these leaders reflect a greater concern for self-
glorification and
maintaining power than for the welfare of followers.
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Negative Charismatics
Personalized power orientation
Instill devotion to themselves
Use ideological appeals to gain power
Seek to dominate and subjugate
Centralize authority
Use punishment and rewards to manipulate
Restrict information
Self-glorifying decisions

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Negative sides of charismatic
leadership

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Organizational Effects of Negative
Charismatics
Risky decisions can result in serious failures
Make more determined enemies
Excessive optimism blinds the leader to strategic
flaws
Close identification with vision undermines
objective evaluation

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 Organizational Effects of Negative
Charismatics (Cont.)
Judgment may not be questioned
Reject evidence of an unrealistic vision
Followers can be inhibited from suggesting
improvements
Alienate or polarize people

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Positive Charismatics
Socialized power orientation
Instill devotion to ideology
Emphasize internalization
Self-sacrifice
Lead by example
Delegate authority
Shared information
Participative decision-making
Rewards used to reinforce
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Organizational Effects of Positive
Charismatics
Follower growth and development
Environmental adaptation
Achievement-oriented culture
High-performing system
Clearly understood mission

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Organizational Effects of Positive
Charismatics (Cont.)
Mission embodies social values
Empowerment
Open communication
Shared information
Structures and systems support
mission

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