Quetstion 6 - Practice 2

Question 6

Practice 2

Lecture

Listen to a lecture. Fill in the missing information in the notes.

M: There are many theories out there about what it takes to be an effective leader, but the one attribute that links all these theories together is charisma.

Charisma is the ability to inspire enthusiasm, interest, or affection in other people. So basically, the theory of charismatic leadership assumes that all good leaders must have charisma in order to attract followers… and according to the theory, charismatic leaders share two common traits.

First of all, charismatic leaders create a compelling vision that appeals to their followers’ values, interests, hopes, and dreams.

A charismatic leader is not content simply to lead a group along its present course, but strives to reach high goals and ideals.

In this sense, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a famous American during the 1960s, was a charismatic leader: his vision was this: that all men were created equal no matter their differences.

He helped convince people that treating certain Americans unfairly was wrong and attracted a large number of followers who helped accomplish his vision.

He was thus able to inspire the American government to pass laws that guaranteed certain rights for all people.

Secondly, charismatic leaders demonstrate their vision through action. They don’t just delegate tasks and tell people how to behave, but rather exhibit ideal behavior through their own actions.

There was a famous World War II general, named Patton, for example, who once demonstrated this approach to leadership by intervening at the scene of a traffic jam.

He pulled up to the jam, and rather than yelling orders, he got out of his jeep and started directing traffic himself.

As traffic started to move, he turned the job over to the military police. In this manner, Patton was able to teach his subordinates… in this case, the police… through action, and he also gained their admiration.