CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

These include the historical figures, presidents and revolutionary leaders. Max Weber pioneered the concept, outlining three types of leadership: traditional, rational-legal, and charismatic. He made a distinction between power, the ability to force people to obey, regardless of their resistance; and authority, where orders are voluntarily obeyed by those receiving them. Charismatic leader seeks to inspire followers to sacrifice to attain super ordinate goals. Lincoln, Churchill, and even Hitler reflect charismatic leadership with qualitatively distinct approaches to leading. This paper explains general concept and characteristics of leadership; it focuses on the concept of charisma and charismatic leadership, the charisma is examined in the context of modem times, with reference to the previous periods. It is also deals with the role of charismatic leadership and the difference it makes in an organization, finally it discusses varied facets of charisma with reference to the world renowned charismatic leaders.