Charismatic Leadership: A Controversial Style

Charismatic Leadership: A Controversial Style On January 22, 2004, our class discussed what makes a leader a leader. One of the topics discussed was that of the "charismatic leader." This style of leadership intrigued me more than the other styles because of the ethical issues that arose in my mind as we discussed what makes a leader charismatic. In accordance to the article "Transformational Leadership", our class believes that the charismatic leader is dominant, confident, inspirational, and …

…y to conclude that charismatic leadership is always a good thing or that it is always needed in visionary organizations. It seems to be a good thing only when and if conditions are right and the intentions or the leader are in the best interests of the company and employees. Because of its emotional overtones and its ability to create fierce loyalty, charisma remains a dangerous construct -- as capable of working evil as good.