Free Essays,College Free Essays,Free College Essays at Anti Essays

Leadership Model Analysis
University of Phoenix
LDR711 Transformational Leadership and Innovation

Leadership Model Analysis
The need for leaders has been evident for hundreds of thousands of years. Historically, humans self-selected leaders to guide them through challenging times. As the world emerges into an Information Age the need for strong and effective leaders who influence, guide, and structure people to aim for a mutual goal still exists (Yukl, 2006). Leadership models vary among organizations, families, and people. There are many theories about leadership, and all try to describe a successful leader. This paper discusses the similarities and differences among four leadership models – (a) charismatic, (b) servant, (c) transactional, (d) and transformational.
Charismatic Leadership Model
Charismatic leadership is defined as leaders who have a profound emotional effect on followers (DeCelles & Pfarrer, 2004). Charismatic leaders are believed to use their strong presence and personalities to influence others. A charismatic leader’s vision is usually different from the average leader’s vision, thus encapsulating followers’ obedience (Yukl, 2006). Using unconventional methods allows a charismatic leader to convince followers that they are not the “normal” leaders – they are new, different, and inspiring. Leaders tend to be less self-interested and more follower-interested. These people are willing to sacrifice themselves for the betterment of followers and organizations (Kanungo, 2001). This kind of behavior builds trust and credibility. "Credibility, or the believability factor, truly is the cornerstone of effective leadership -- from politics to parenting to the business world. Without first establishing credibility, few people are willing to listen, let alone follow someone claiming to be in authority" (McFerran, 2006, p.G6). Charismatic leaders usually have high follower expectations and are able to...