Contemporary Views on Leadership, Essay Example

Introduction

The below paper is designed to apply some of the recently emerged leadership theories to evaluate the leadership approach of Nelson Mandela. The leadership approaches and styles will be assessed based on how the selected leader historically dealt with challenges, communicated vision, mission, handled stakeholders and empowered staff through education and professional development programs. The authors would like to focus mainly on the theory of charismatic leadership. Nelson Mandela was a successful leader in many aspects: he had a strong belief in the case (objective), ability to communicate the vision, skills to engage people to take a stand and strength to deal with the challenges of imprisonment. However, all these skills and abilities, traits can be traced back to leadership theories that emerged in the past century. The aim of the below project is to successfully apply the leadership approaches to evaluate the traits and competencies of Nelson Mandela. Some of the main traits of Nelson Mandela’s leadership approach are widely documented by bibliography writers, such as Degnan-Veness [1]. According to the author, the most important personal strengths of Mandela were cooperation and communication skills, respect for other people’s views and taking responsibility.

Contemporary Issues of Leadership

Bennis[2] states that collaboration and communication technology advancements have created both challenges and opportunities for the 21^st Century organization. However, before the challenges and changes that the 21^st century brought can be examined, it is important to determine what this paper will accept as a relevant definition of leadership. Daft [3]defines leadership as an “influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes”. The reason why this definition has been selected is that it emphasizes the importance of vision and mission within organizations. The recent focus of leadership behavior and traits has started to focus on collaboration, relationship-building, vision and the methods the leader communicates the vision with subordinates. Further, several theories that will be examined below do not only look at leaders as people who “manage others” and “get things done”, but those who can create consensus, commitment to the goal, vision and are effective communicators. Based on the analysis of Nelson Mandela’s style, it is evident that he was able to create a vision for change and institutionalize the changes while building up a large follower base, gaining acceptance not only from democratic organizations, but independent international bodies as well. He received Nobel Peace Prize in 1992.

Daft [4] states that businesses have entered a new environment in the past few decades. The new reality of leadership includes transformations from stability to change and crisis management,  from control to empowerment, to competition to collaboration, to uniformity to diversity, from self-centered approaches to higher ethical purposes and from a hero to a humble leadership behavior. The leadership of Nelson Mandela indeed involved ethical and moral considerations; his main goal was to create equality not only on the social level, but every aspect of life; education, health, economics, opportunities and recognition. From the initiative to provide equal rights to Black people, he completely transformed the society, making a change not only in South Africa, but impacted democratic views worldwide.

Theoretical Background

The application of the path-goal theory[5] is also relevant to the current research. Nelson Mandela was an effective leader because he was able to line out the path to goal attainment. The relationship between Nelson Mandela and the public can be viewed as a relationship between a leader and employees. Without showing the path towards the goal, followers would not have been able to support the reforms that Mandela was fighting for. The path-goal theory  makes an assumption that leaders and followers (managers and employees) both benefit from the relationship and exchange. Further, an important aspect of the path-goal theory is that the leader is able to influence followers through clarifying the paths and removing obstacles. Nelson Mandela understood that real change on the personal and class-level was only possible if changes are made to the system and policies affecting the whole society. The path-goal theory identifies four different leadership styles: directive, supportive, participative and achievement-oriented. From the initial analysis of Nelson Mandela’s career, it is evident that when applying this concept, he had a participative leadership style. The situation in South Africa was not possible to change without building a strong commitment. Path-goal theory, indeed, is in close relationship with motivational approaches.

The trait theory, as a contrast, is based on leaders’ characteristics that enable them to get people to do what they want them to do. According to this theory, traits influence leadership behavior, and vice versa. Most importantly, the theory implies that effectiveness within the organization is influenced by the behavior of the leader, Indeed, the application of the traits theory would add to the research of Nelson Mandela’s leadership approach, and it is, therefore, important to review his leadership traits, based on the Traits Theory. Indeed, it is a good starting point to identify the strengths of an individual leader. [6] Based on the theory, the authors would like to determine the most important leadership traits of Nelson Mandela, in order to evaluate his  career and charismatic approach towards leading people. Among the identified traits of the theory, the three most important ones present in the case of Mandela were: persistence, popularity and verbal facility. Without keeping his spirits up during the over two decades of imprisonment and staying committed to the cause, Mandela would not have been able to make an international impact and become a national leader. Likewise, without being able to engage masses and gain popularity, he would not have been able to create an impact and build a large follower base. Most importantly, without the skills to clearly, effectively and logically communicate his vision and ideas, he could not have been able to make a political and social impact through policies and organizations’ support.

Task-Oriented Leadership Behaviors

Task-oriented leadership approach focuses on solving problems, informing people about issues and clarifying roles and objectives. To examine the importance and role of this leadership behavior in the case of Nelson Mandela, it is important to note that this task-oriented behavior was paired with a long term mission and a very strong vision.

One of the strongest aspects of Nelson Mandela’s task-oriented leadership behavior was informing people and serving public relations and the image of the mission. He was able to clearly communicate his goals, strategies, and this way he could engage the public and get millions of followers worldwide.

One of the aspects of task-oriented leadership that is present in Nelson Mandela’s career is the initiation of projects and changes. Without being the person who stands up for the change and organizes changes, projects, tasks and movements, an individual cannot become a true leader who can engage followers. Taberero and Arana[7] found that task-oriented leadership creates a greater level of group engagement and positivism among members than relationship-oriented approach. This indicates that the approach to focus on the large goal while creating engagement and commitment through laying out the path for the future goals is an effective method to gain commitment for the cause. It is clear that Nelson Mandela’s leadership style was more task-oriented than people-oriented. Throughout the difficulties he encountered during his political career, he did not take his eyes off the large goal and was focused on the execution of tasks. His main goal was to achieve the final objectives of the organization: racial equality and social justice in his country.

Transformational Approaches to Leadership

When analyzing the transactional approach to leadership, it is important to look at the strengths of the approach and its applicability to Nelson Mandela’s career. Transformational leadership, according to Van Wart[8] creates connections and focuses on morality, motivation, while making sure that all the followers are able to reach their full potential. Because Nelson Mandela looked at racial equality and ethical government from a moral perspective, applying this approach to examine his leadership style adds value to the research. According to the theory, the change initiated by the leader needs to be completed in three different stages. The first stage is recognizing the need for change. The second stage is to create a vision based on the discrepancies and unsatisfying performance that the leader has identified. However, it is important to note that without gaining commitment and engagement from followers, it is impossible to complete the project. This is true in public sector organizations, as well as in the case of a political/spiritual leader. The vision needs to be based on a strong moral/ethical issue that many people can relate to. In case of an organization, this would be a hard task. The higher employees’ commitment to the organization’s vision is, the greater the chance for success will be. According to Bennis and Nanus[9], the main task of transformational leaders is to articulate and communicate the vision and the greater values of their mission. When individuals connect with these moral values and the vision, they can become self-empowered leaders themselves. In the case of Nelson Mandela, the vision of an equal and more just society was strong enough to create a large follower base in a short period of time. Still, without being able to effectively communicate the vision and engaging in conversations, discussions with the public, the success of the long-term reforms in case of Mandela would not have been possible. While vision is important to create a transformation within an organization and in a political environment, the third step still needs to be completed. This final step, according to Van Wart, [10] is institutionalizing change. This stage was only completed by Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison and became the first Black president of the country. Instead of focusing on his personal role and signifying the event as the overall victory of the vision, he understood that there was still plenty to do. Remaining focused on the original idea, vision and mission developed before his prison years, he managed to lay down the institutional foundations of social change, justice and law. According to Van Wart,  [11] this stage involves the “creative destruction and reweaving of the social fabric”. While the author above means the social fabric of the organization, it is clear that the stage is highly applicable for changing political systems. Transformational leaders have the will to serve, instead of the will to gain power (transactional) leadership). Further, they have the enthusiasm to achieve the end goal, to transform their closer environment, and – in some cases – the world. Indeed, Nelson Mandela succeeded in creating a better country out of the non-democratic and despotic South Africa, while he could – through his moral and ethical principles – have a great impact on politics around the world, as well as philosophers. Transformational leaders, on the other hand,

Next, based on Weber’s charismatic background theory, the authors would like to identify some extraordinary personality characteristics that will be used to create an argument related to the charismatic leadership theory approach as well. Without the strong desire to influence people and the outcome of debates, a leader cannot be called charismatic. While charismatic leadership focuses on the leader’s personality and the traits of the individual, transformational leadership is looking at another aspect: being a leader of change and triggering change. Therefore, it is evident that transactional leadership is closely related to charismatic leadership, examined next.

Charismatic Leadership

Van Wart[12] concludes that charisma is a crucial attribution of successful leaders. Further, only certain leaders who behave a certain way are able to engage personally with followers in times of crisis. Charismatic leaders also are brave enough to communicate their views that go against customs and “status quo”.[13] They have a vision for a better future, and if achieving the end purpose means changing one’s views, approaches and going against the system, they think that it is a price worth to pay.  Weber[14] describes this type of leadership as “a particular quality of a person on the basis of which he is distinguished from ordinary people and endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least exceptional personal qualities”.  He created three leadership frames: bureaucratic (traditional), feudal/prince (traditional) and the charismatic hero. (transformer). This indicates that in the 21^st Century those who became reformers, just like Nelson Mandela, needed to have extraordinary abilities. Weber[15] realized that in order to change systems, the leader needs to be radically opposed to authority and the old system in order to call for new moral and legal principles. This statement is indeed true in the case of Nelson Mandela: he put up with imprisonment in order to focus on the long term goals; equality within the society in South Africa. Charismatic leaders are willing to take personal risks and make sacrifices for the cause.[16]

Charismatic leaders are unconventional, often considered reformers and innovators with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. They propose a new vision and are able to make followers commit to this vision and support the reforms. It is evident that Nelson Mandela is a clear example of a charismatic leader who took personal risks, had a vision, outlined plan and engaged millions of followers to believe in an alternative system, social justice and political reform.

The ideal condition for charismatic leadership, according to Van Wart[17] is a system that requires radical change. This was the case in South Africa; civil rights of Blacks were oppressed and the high level of inequality resulted in a need of change. When Nelson Mandela appeared on the political scene in the beginning of 1960-s, police terror, political discrimination and the denial of basic human rights created a conflict. Nelson Mandela started a movement to change not only the political system, but the make-up of society as well. However, his inspirational speech in front of the court in 1962[18] made him a national hero and a leader. He did not stop working on changing the system, and in his speech and writings he managed to clearly communicate his vision of a better Africa. According to Van Wart[19], a charismatic leader has an idealized vision opposing the status quo. Further, the author states that leaders with charismatic characteristics are able to articulate their vision in an inspirational way, motivate and lead people. They also show a strong passion for a higher cause, even at an expense of their personal well-being. One important element of charismatic leadership, according to Van Wart[20] is the “ability to recognize shifts in the environment that call for a change”. Indeed, Nelson Mandela, due to his highly developed social skills, was able to sense people’s disapproval of the system. Further, he could create follower trust, satisfaction, and maintain group cohesion and external support for change.

Conclusion

From the above review of literature review, the authors conclude that Nelson Mandela was a charismatic, task-oriented transformational leader. He was determined to succeed, but not to serve his own interest, but to better the lives of millions of people. The devotion of charismatic leaders (heroes) was his own, and the strength to overcome difficulties, hurdles and personal attacks. The over two decades he spent in prison not only did not break his determination, but strengthened it. He was, on the other hand, a transformational leader who could engage with masses, create a strong mission that people could connect with. He was in the right time at the right place; when all residents of South Africa who were oppressed saw the discrepancies  and injustice in the political system, but needed a leader who can create a program that tackles them. While Nelson Mandela had an ethical principle, he also focused on the large goal; that made him a task-oriented leader. He never took his eyes off the mission he created on a personal and organizational level. His transformational leadership also manifested in his great ability to speak to large audiences and engage people in conversation, gaining support and commitment. In the end, he did not only obtain the support of people he was fighting for, but also the support of countries that had the same democratic principles he did. He was awarded dozens of international prizes, and, in the end, the Nobel Peace Prize. Through determination and a strong sense of mission, he achieved his end goal: after becoming the first Black leader of South Africa, he could institutionalize the reforms he initiated more than 30 years before his election. His leadership qualities: determination, non-conformism, lack of personal concern, sense of responsibility for the nation, collaboration and communication have made him the most successful leader of the world and a devoted missionary for freedom, democracy and justice.

Bibliography

Bennis, W. G., & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The Strategies for taking Charge. New York: Harper and Raw.

Bennis, W. 2007. The Challenges of Leadership in the Modern World. January 2007 American Psychologist

Conger. J., Kanungo, R. 1998. Charismatic Leadership in Organizations. SAGE

Daft, R. L. 2008. The Leadership Experience. Mason, OH: Thomson South-Western.

Degnan-Veness, Coleen. 2001. Nelson Mandela. Pearson Education.

Sampson,  Anthony, 2000. Mandela: The Authorized Biography. London: Harper Collins,

Tabernero, C., Arana, J. 2009. The Role of Task-oriented versus Relationship-oriented Leadership on Normative Contract and Group Performance. Social Behavior and Personality.2009

Van Wart, M. 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.

[1] Degnan-Veness, Coleen (2001) Nelson Mandela. Pearson Education.

[2] Bennis, W. The Challenges of Leadership in the Modern World. January 2007 American Psychologist

[3] Daft, R. The Leadership Experience. Cengage Learning. 2007. p. 4

[4] Ibid, p. 7

[5] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.  p. 58.

[6] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction, p. 52.

[7] Tabernero, C., Arana, J. 2009. The Role of Task-oriented versus Relationship-oriented Leadership on Normative Contract and Group Performance. p. 1393.

[8] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.  p. 57.

[9]Bennis, W. G., & Nanus, B. 1985. Leaders: The Strategies for taking Charge. New  York: Harper and Raw.

[10] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.  p. 81.

[11] Ibid, p. 81

[12] Ibid, p. 69.

[13] Conger and Kanugo, 1998. Charismatic Leadership in Organizations. p. 53.

[14] Weber, 1958. The Three Types of Legitimate Rule.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.  p. 69.

[17] Ibid, p. 79.

[18] Sampson,  Anthony (2000)  Mandela: The Authorized Biography. London: Harper Collins,

[19] Van Wart, 2012. Leadership in Public Organizations: An Introduction.  p. 79.

[20] Ibid, p. 79.