Response on Charismatic and Transformational Leadership.
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliations
I agree that Malcolm X was a transformational and charismatic leader. He was a prominent figure in the fight for civil rights. He was also a great leader in the struggle for racial equality and justice. His strong in self-empowerment influenced him to take a leading front in the fight towards achieving equal rights for African-Americans (Washington Informer, 2015). He demonstrated great levels of intelligence as he served as the voice of Blacks against racial segregation, poverty, and police brutality. As a transformational leader, he was not prepared to compromise his mission. His strong desire to transform American society enhanced his confidence to lead others to overcome challenges created by racism in the United States (Zilber, 2016). Malcolm X was also a good orator and his speeches inspired people of color to gain the courage to fight against ideologies of white supremacy. More importantly, as a transformational leader, he preached equality using any means necessary to redefine the status of the marginalized groups.
Interestingly, I agree that Adolf Hitler was also a transformational leader. He was so influential that even today it is not unusual to find documentaries and programs about it. Unfortunately, Hitler used his transformational ability to influence Germans to perpetrate historic genocide and persecution against the Jews (Takala & Auvinen, 2016). He led the Nazis to commit evil and a severe violation of human rights. Secondly, Hitler significantly influenced his followers that they were a special race making it easier for him to impose his ideologies against the Jews. Therefore, his leadership was contrary to Martin Luther King (McGuire & Hutchings, 2007). Unlike Hitler, King inspired his followers for a positive change. He had a vision to fight for equality and the empowerment of African americans. As a transformational leader, he demonstrated a revolutionary spirit that gave his countrymen a hope for a better future (McGuire & Hutchings, 2007). He still remains one of the most influential leaders in the struggle for racial equality.
References
McGuire, D., & Hutchings, K. (2007). Portrait of a transformational leader: the legacy of Dr
Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.
Takala, T., & Auvinen, T. (2016). The power of leadership storytelling: Case of Adolf Hitler.
Tamara: Journal for Critical Organization Inquiry, 14.
Washington Informer. (2015).Malcolm X: A look back at the charismatic leader. Retrieved
from: https://www.washingtoninformer.com/malcolm-x-a-look-back-at-the-charismatic-leader/
Zilber, A. (2016). Lessons in leadership: An Appreciation of Malcolm X. The Jerusalem Post.
Retrieved from: https://www.jpost.com/opinion/lessons-in-leadership-an-appreciation-of-malcolm-x-446482