Convenience

Charismatic Leadership
The concept of
charismatic leadership
, like trait theories, assumes that charisma is an
individual characteristic of the leader.
Charisma
is a form of interpersonal attraction
that inspires support and acceptance. All else being equal, then, someone with charisma
is more likely to be able to influence others than someone without charisma. For exam-
ple, a highly charismatic supervisor will be more successful in influencing subordinate
behavior than a supervisor who lacks charisma. Thus, influence is again a fundamental
element of this perspective.
substitutes for
leadership
A concept that
identifies situations
in which leader
behaviors are
neutralized or
replaced by
characteristics of the
subordinate, the
task, and the
organization
charismatic
leadership
Assumes that
charisma is an
individual
characteristic of the
leader
charisma
A form of
interpersonal
attraction that
inspires support and
acceptance
344
Part 4:
Leading
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Robert House first proposed a theory of charismatic leadership, based on research findings
from a variety of social science disciplines.
32
His theory suggests that charismatic leaders are
likely to have a lot of self-confidence, a firm conviction in their beliefs and ideals, and a strong
need to influence people. They also tend to communicate high expectations about follower
performance and express confidence in followers. Donald Trump is an excellent example of
a charismatic leader. Even though he has made his share of mistakes and generally is
perceived as only an “average” manager, many people view him as larger than life.
33
Most experts acknowledge three elements of charismatic leadership in organizations
today.
34
First, the leader needs to be able to envision the future, set high expectations,
and model behaviors consistent with meeting those expectations. Next, the charismatic
leader must be able to energize others through a demonstration of personal excitement,
personal confidence, and patterns of success. Finally, the charismatic leader enables others
by supporting them, empathizing with them, and expressing confidence in them.
35
Charismatic leadership ideas are quite popular among managers today and are the sub-
ject of numerous books and articles. Unfortunately, few studies have attempted to specifi-
cally test the meaning and impact of charismatic leadership. There are also lingering
ethical issues about charismatic leadership that trouble some people. For instance, Presi-
dent Bill Clinton was a charismatic leader. But some of his critics argued that this very
charisma caused his supporters to overlook his flaws and to minimize some of his indis-
cretions. In contrast, President George W. Bush did not possess a high level of charisma,
and this may have enabled some critics to magnify his shortcomings.