Charismatic Leadership And Characteristics That Describe It

Charismatic leadership and characteristics that describe it

Introduction

Charisma is a word that can be used to describe some people for certain characteristics of their personality, however it is a term that until recently was little known in the business world. His entry into this area began after there was a lot of changes in the North American industry. To move on to a more competitive environment, new ideas were needed to improve processes, hence the role of leadership and the idea of exercising more effective leadership in organizations in organizations.

Charismatic leadership theory is an extension of attribution theory. He points out that followers make attributions of heroic or extraordinary skills to leadership when they observe certain behaviors. For the most part, studies on charismatic leadership have directed themselves to the identification of those behaviors that separate charismatic leaders from their non -charismatic counterparts. In this report we will analyze characteristics that charismatic leaders have, as we will also present a brief biography of a woman considered as one of the charismatic leaders of England and the world.

Developing

As for the definition of the word charisma it can be noted that “the sociologist Max Weber (1947) used the term to describe a form of influence based not on the tradition or formal authority but on the perceptions of the follower that the leader is endowedof exceptional qualities ".

(Yukl, 1998)

For Conger (1991), if the story is taken into account, it is possible to observe how the leaders who are called charismatic tend to non -conventionalism, change. On the contrary, traditional leaders tend to manage before leading, they are not as visionary as a charismatic leader can be.

Charismatic leadership

This type of leadership has been the subject of various studies, which have determined, that the way of influencing followers is not based by formal authority, but, on the perceptions of the followers that the leader has skills and competencies that do sodeserving of respect and admiration.

As a result of studies on the subject of charismatic leadership, characteristics that distinguish a charismatic leader have been identified. And to put them in perspective (Lussier & Achua 2007, pp. 350-352) describe them as follows:

1. Vision. Charismatic leaders articulate a transcendent vision that becomes the war cry or cause. They have the ability to articulate an idealized vision of a future that is much better than the present. They quickly recognize the fundamental discrepancies between the status quo and the way in which things can (or).
2. Exceptional communication skills. In addition to vision, charisma leaders have the ability to communicate complex ideas and objectives in a clear and convenient way, so that all, from senior management to the organization’s bases, understand and identify with their message.
3. self-confidence and moral conviction. Charismatic leaders generate confidence in their leadership thanks to their unwavering self-confidence, enduring faith, solid moral conviction and sacrifice capacity.
4. Ability to inspire trust. Their supporters believe with such force in the integrity of charismatic leaders, who risk their career to continue the vision of their leaders. These are gaining support and trust showing their commitment to the needs of followers above their personal interest. This quality inspires the followers and generates mutual trust between them and the leader.
5. Strong risk orientation. Charismatic leaders gain the confidence of their followers for their willingness to assume great personal risks. People admire the value of those who "play it". The fact that these leaders are endangered is a way to personally defend their vision, and in doing so they obtain the admiration and respect of their followers.
6. Great energy and action orientation. Charisma leaders are full of energy and serve as a model to make things done in time. They make their emotions get involved in their daily working life, which injects energy, excites and attracts others.
7. Base of power based on relationships. A medullary dimension of charismatic leadership is that this entails a relationship or intention between leaders and followers. However, unlike other forms of leadership, the charismatic is deeply based on relationships and almost completely on expert power, even when it occupies a formal position in the organization.
8. Minimum internal conflict. Usually the leaders with charisma are convinced that their vision and strategies are correct, which explains why they persist and endure the setbacks until the end. Due to their conviction, to some extent they do not bother them or make it to blame to press the followers to resist even threats.
9. Skills to delegate authority in others. Charismatic leaders recognize that alone they cannot specify the vision, who need help and support for their followers. Therefore, they delegate authority in others and thereby strengthen the personal effectiveness of followers. They do this by assigning them with tasks that rightly lead them to increasingly positive experiences and accentuate their self-confidence, so they convince them of their abilities and create an environment of positive emotions and enthusiasm.
10. Self-promoting personality. Even when no one endorses the cause of charismatic leaders, they often promote their person and their vision.

These characteristics or qualities of charismatic leaders can be acquired, strengthened or improved, through knowledge acquisition processes, formal and non -formal.

To do this (Lussier & Achua 2007) they propose that people can improve their skills to communicate by any means, strengthen self-confidence, such as raising their self – esteem and learning skills to inspire and delegate authority in their followers.

According to (Robbins, 1999) this influence of charismatic leaders in their followers achieve it through the implementation of the following process:

• Start with the articulation of an interesting vision for the leader.
• This vision provides a sense of continuity to followers by joining the present with a better future for the organization.
• The leader then communicates high expectations of performance and expresses the security that followers can achieve them.
• This increases the self – esteem and security of followers.
• The leader transmits through words and actions, a new set of values.
• Through their behavior, it models your followers to admit it.

Finally, the charismatic leader makes self-accusions and undertakes in unconventional behaviors to demonstrate courage and conviction about vision.

Also, (Robbins, 1999, P. 390) raises a list of behaviors adopted by people who are charismatic and who practicing them can become a charismatic leader:

• They project a safe, and dynamic presence … use a captivating and attractive tone of voice. They transmit security. They also speak directly to their interlocutors, maintain visual contact and maintain a body posture that they say they are sure of themselves.
• They articulate an attainable goal. They have a vision of the future, unconventional ways to achieve that vision and the ability to communicate it to others.
• Communicate high performance and security expectations, based on the ability of others to meet these expectations. They demonstrate their confidence in people by establishing ambitious goals, for them both individually and in groups.
• They are sensitive to the needs of their followers. Charismatic leaders manage to meet each of their followers. They understand their individual needs and are able to develop intense interpersonal relationships with each.

conclusion

Several authors have tried to identify the characteristics of the charismatic leader. Robert House (known for his trajectory-metha) identified three characteristics: a very high confidence in themselves, domain and strong convictions in his beliefs. Warren Bennis, after studying 90 of the most effective and successful leaders in the United States, found that they had four common features: they had a compulsive vision or sense of purpose;They could communicate that vision in clear terms, so that their followers could easily identify with it;They demonstrated consistency and focus on the persecution of their vision;and they knew their strengths and capitalized them. However, the broader analysis has been that of Conger and Kanungo, McGilluniversity.

An example of the charismatic leader was the popularly called "La Princesa Diana", a title that she never had, so such aristocratic treatment is incorrect. In the divorce agreement it was established that Diana would lose the treatment of real highness and retain the title of Princess of Wales. Therefore she was entitled after her divorce and "Diana, Princess of Wales"And those attributable to his investiture, is an essential character in recent world history.

In conclusion, charismatic leaders have an ideal goal they want to achieve;a strong personal commitment to your goal;They are perceived as unconventional;They are assertive and have confidence in themselves;and they are perceived as agents of radical change instead of administrators of the status quo.