Leadership Practices - Term Paper Example

Leadership Practices Introduction Leadership is an intrinsic part of human behavior that strives for shared learning and collective goals. It is inherently linked to people and serves as strong motivating force to achieve intended goals for desired organization or personal satisfaction. The exemplary leadership qualities and traits that embody great leaders are vital ingredients that significantly impact the followers and motivate them to follow in their steps. The leadership assumptions vis-à-vis organizational leadership, educational leadership, political leadership, cult leadership etc. become vital facilitators that motivate the target group to play crucial part in the success of a leader’s goals and objectives. Kouzes and Posner (2007) believe that leadership practice that best defines their approach to tackling issues or promoting a cause is major factor for their popularity amongst the target group. The paper would primarily be discussing two leadership practices; enabling others to act and promoting shared learning as major traits of cult leaders, Jim Jones and Charles Manson. Definition of cult and its wider ramifications Cult refers to a group which is inspired by leaders of unorthodox ideology who exploit religious beliefs and traditions for their vested interests. While cult has positive meaning for the followers, it is often perceived as destructive ideology of religious fanatics by the mainstream population. Walter Martin (1955) has described cult as a major deviation from the orthodox Christianity and doctrines of Christian faith. Thus, cults are often accompanied by unique traditions and practices which highlight their heretical philosophy of life. Indeed, the locus of authority is confined to cult leaders which they are unwilling to relinquish. They influence their followers through individual charisma and dogmatic principles. Cult leaders Cult leadership becomes synonymous with privileged powers of salvation to the mankind. The religious fanaticism is one of the most significant features of a cult leader. The various traits, behavior and leadership styles often define their effectiveness as strong leaders. Cult leadership is unique in the sense that it tends to exploit human sensitivity and religious dichotomy for its own vested interest. The cult leadership is highly charismatic and inflames the emotions of the target group through radical ideologies and practices. Two most important aspect of cult leadership is that it fundamentally emerges from the sense of inequity and exhorts its followers towards a path of radical ideas and creed that may not necessarily be right or rational. Jim Jones and Charles Manson, both were strong cult leaders with destructive ideologies who were able to attract huge followers. Jim Jones and Jonestown James Warren Jones or Jim Jones was a religious fanatic who had founded People’s Temple with churches in San Francisco and Los Angeles. As a boy, he was hailed as a religious messiah by his mother. He was a radical in the sense that he believed in equality and promoted social integration of blacks and African American in the mainstream society. His strong belief in the social justice and his views on socialism based on communist leaning became his major plank for propagating new ideology. He established his first church in 1955 in Illinois and later shifted to California to start Peoples Temple. He was greatly influenced by faith healing services of Baptist churches and used practiced psychological and spiritual healing to gain trust and loyalty of his followers. Jim Jones exhibited leadership traits early when he was able to garner support for his social integration of blacks in the mainstream society. His charismatic personality and strong religious leanings were strong enabling factors that inspired followers to action and work towards racial equity and social justice. He was able to bring about changes in other people. Social scientists assert that psycho analytical aspects are important tools to understand human relationship and behavior especially with regard to social defenses, leadership paradigms and motivation (Levinson, 2002; Gabriel, 1999). These elements were extensively used by Jones to garner support for his religious and social bigotry. The understanding equipped him with the necessary knowledge to promote confidence building and considerably increase the number of followers. Jones was highly effective leader and when he established Jonestown in Guyana in 1977, nearly one thousand followers moved with to establish a commune where Jones ideology could be practices with freedom. He was able to promote shared vision of a new world where equality is practiced and social justice is paramount. People who became his followers were totally committed to his vision of world and greatly felt at peace. Keith (1992;67) has expresses the feelings of followers as ‘an unexpected sense of purpose, as though they were becoming part of something extraordinary significant that seemed to carry them toward an expanded sense of reality and meaning of life’. This indeed, shows the powerful leadership trait that was able to inculcate a sense of purpose amongst his followers. This was probably the major reason that motivated the strong strength of 912 followers to commit mass suicide in November 1978. Charles Manson Charles Manson is an American criminal who had committed serial crimes prior to his short career in the music industry. Born as Charles Milles Maddox on November 12, 1934, he was later known as Charles Manson after his mother had married William Manson. He had become a skilled burglar and professional thief with his repeated visits to jail and reform centers. During his imprisonment, he was inspired to take become musician by a fellow jail mate, Alvin Karpis, who taught him to play guitar. Manson was a natural who quickly became obsessed with his new interest. After his release from jail, he moved to San Francisco and started writing and composing songs. One of his songs was also included in the album of Dennis Wilson of Beach Boy (Sanders, 2002). Manson had started the hippie culture that promoted racial hatred through songs. Manson was especially drawn to Beatle’s song ‘helter skelter’ as he believed that it predicts a racial war which could lead to apocalypse. He floated his own philosophy whereby he inflamed the emotions of the young people against blacks. He became hugely popular amongst the teenagers and young people who liked his music. The tenets of his philosophy were inclined towards zealous expression of hatred against the blacks (ibid). He has exploited the cultural dynamics to promote hatred amongst the white youth. His charisma to evoke blind faith and share visions of racial hatred was the major element of his leadership traits. He used his beliefs and exhorted his followers of young brigade towards violence against blacks to prevent any initiative from them. Manson’s followers were known as family because they all shared common vision and were inclined to act as a group to achieve their goal. Manson’s cult leadership was focused towards racial hatred which he was able to promote amongst his followers through his highly effective communication skill. Ashkanasy et al. (2002) believe that leaders have the ability to read emotions in one’s self and in others. They are thus, able to use this information to guide decision-making in their followers. Manson exploited human nature to achieve his personal agenda of hate crime against the black. The grotesque murders of Tate and LaBianca is testament of his powerful leadership characteristic that prompted his followers to commit such heinous crime. Russel Simmons Not all cult leaders promote violence. Some cult leaders have radical ideas that are promoted through peaceful ways. Jack Russel is the pioneering personality for creating hip-hop movement that thrived on promoting the interests of the blacks. Hip hop culture was a new cult that encouraged equality and sense of social justice for the under-privileged segment of society. His charismatic leadership helps exploits the potential of black youth through hip hop culture that may not be apply for people across the board. He was able to make significant impact on the black population primarily because he had strong leadership qualities. His leadership traits helped him to become a highly successful entrepreneur in the field of garment industry and music world. The black youth had become committed followers because they were able to share Simmons vision of social justice. Through shared visions and exemplary leadership, he was able to change the lives of black who were inspired to emulate him to improve their living standard and lifestyle. Indeed, his main strength lay in his philosophy that promotes self empowerment as the main tool of optimizing performance and says that there are no failures, only quitters (Simmons, 2007). Conclusion Charismatic leaders have strong personality but they are also endowed with ‘articulation of ideological goals with moral overtones; and (4) high expectation of followers and confidence that they will meet these expectations’ (Northouse, 2004, p171). All three cult leaders as discussed previously, show strong traits which made their followers strongly believe in them and act blindly to achieve their goals. While the ideological perversity was reflected in Jones and Manson’s cults, Simmons was able to constructively exploit the potential for the wider welfare of black community. (words: 1485) Reference Ashkanasy, N. Hartel, C. and Daus, C. Diversity and emotion: The new frontiers in organizational behavior research. Journal of management, 28 (3), 307-338. 2002. Keith, Harrary. The Truth About Jonestown. Psychology Today, 25(2). March 1992: p62 Kouzes, James M and Posner, Barry Z. The Leadership Challenge.4th ed. San Fransisco, CA. Jossey-Bass. 2007. Levinson, H. Organizational Assessment. American Psychological Association. Washington DC. 2002. Martin, Walter. The Rise of the Cults. Vision House. 1978. Northouse, P.G. Leadership: Theory and Practice. (3rd Edition). London: Sage Publications Ltd. 2004. Sanders, Ed. The Family. Thunder's Mouth Press, New York, 2002 Simmons, Russell. Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Empowerment. Gotham Books. 2007 Read More