A Report on Charismatic Leadership Style

by:

Cyndee A. Traigo
Jemimah Lois Gange
Student, Master of Education in Special Education
University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City

I. Definition

What is Charismatic Leadership Style?

Charismatic leadership is defined by a leader who uses his or her

communication skills, persuasiveness, and charm to influence others. Charismatic
leaders, given their ability to connect with people on a deep level, are especially
valuable within organizations that are facing a crisis or are struggling to move
forward.

Charismatic leadership is a leadership style by accentuating charisma to attract

and inspire dedication by others. It is an example of a leader-centered style in addition
to authoritative and transactional leadership. Leaders believe more in their own vision
and abilities than in followers. However, compared to the other two leadership styles,
charismatic leaders communicate more with followers.

II. Characteristics

 Strong communicator
 Empathetic and relatable
 Confident
 Motivational
 Engaging and charming
 Optimistic

 Charismatic leaders inspire and motivate followers to commit to a goal. They fit
well in an environment where people need the presence of an individual capable
of driving and changing the status quo.

 Charismatic leadership styles work well during urgent organizational changes.

They are also important when organizations undergo fundamental changes. They
are very good at motivating followers to do whatever it takes.

 In those situations, the leader is considered to have extraordinary abilities.

Subordinates and other stakeholders believe the leader brings change for the
better. It generates positive energy among the followers. They volunteered to
follow orders with high confidence.
 Charismatic leadership works most efficiently when leaders are able to instill
confidence and self-esteem to subordinates, which means subordinates are more
inclined to achieve objectives and thus trust the leader further.

III. The Pros and Cons of Charismatic Leadership

Pros
○ Highly inspirational and motivating
○ Encourages a sense of camaraderie, collaboration, and union
○ Makes followers feel heard and understood
○ Creates movement toward positive change

Cons
○ Can become more focused on themselves than their people
○ Has the potential to become self-serving
○ Frequently viewed as shallow or disingenuous

IV. When to Use it in School

Charismatic leadership is also credible in the school context because they

convince their subordinates for their own strong motivation, enthusiasm, and
commitment. Their actions and decisions are consistent with and support the
advocated vision.

Successful education leaders are charismatic, which inspires devotion in others.

This charisma can be hard to learn, as it usually requires most educators to go outside
of their comfort zone by becoming more sociable as well as learning how to command
the attention of and speak to a group of any size.