Charismatic Leadership: The Elusive Factor in Organizational Effectiveness

In this new book, Jay A. Conger reveals how the charismatic leader's qualities of creativity, inspiration, unconventionality, vision, and risk-taking can help bring about radical change in organizations damaged by long periods of inertia - and shows why we need charismatic leadership now more than ever before. Drawing on findings from organizational behavior, sociology, social psychology, political science, and his own research - as well as on illustrations from the careers of Steve Jobs, Lee Iacocca, Mary Kay, John DeLorean, Ross Perot, and others - the author dispels the myths about charisma and identifies the specific practices that set charismatic leadership apart to help show how and why these individuals succeed where others may fail.