Public Administration

Name: Habiba Mohamed Mansour Salim

ID: 200401054

o Examine the claim that leadership is the exercise of power and

influence.'
Answer:
THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP

Charismatic Leadership theory

According to Max Weber some people are endowed with some

extraordinary qualities that induce others to follow them. He identified
the special force in the person as 'charisma' which is often explained
as a special supernatural force that dwells in a person and influences
him to act or behave in a certain extraordinary manner. It is this
"charisma' that serves as the power which stirs the emotions of people
and captures their hearts and minds towards, and for the person who
possesses it.

CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP THEORY

Charismatic Leaders It is usually found in religious circles.

Charismatic leadership requires some psychological distance between
leader and follower.
CriticismThis theory that links leadership to a person's ability to
possess charisma has lost its significance in modern leadership
theories.
Trait Theory
It says that leaders are persons blessed with certain qualities which
make it relatively easy to bend others to their will. This means that
those who have the distinctive qualities are the leaders. This seems to
suggest that the qualities are not available to everybody. Rather, only
a few may have the qualities.
TRAIT THEORY
• Traits include:
Intelligence, Alertness, Academic achievement, Dependability,
Honesty, Initiative, Adaptability, Relational competence, Physical
energy. It maintains that people without leadership qualities cannot be
made leaders even by training courses. CriticismsNo single trait is
possessed by all successful leaders. traits attributed to leaders are
also possessed by non-leaders confusion over the actual traits of a
leader.