Performing Arts and Post-Industrial Leadership

So the fact that this is a complete sentence is an indication that this blog is already better than my last one. And I blame YouTube, the DNC, SLA training (oh, the irony), and the concept of "blogging" for the delay in this post. This third sentence is attempting to act as a segway, but, given its poor quality, is only delaying this assignment further.

1. Charismatic Leadership

At the root of being a charismatic leader is having the ability to lead with poise, profundity, and presentation. It is leading others through effective inspiration, not just empty propaganda. The reading states that there must be three components present for charismatic leadership.

1. Leader characteristics -- the leader must be trustworthy and earn this trust with his or her words
2. Follower characteristics -- there must be a willingness to follow
3. The situation -- the situation must call for it

And only one clip came to mind when reading on Charismatic Leadership: the greatest inspirational speech to ever grace the silver screen, and I will not entertain arguments. On July 4th, with only a small fleet of pilots, missiles, and a computer scientist standing in between the Earth and aliens hellbent on destroying it, President Thomas J. Whitmore takes to the megaphone:

Displaying both courage and charisma, President Whitmore galvanizes the gathered "soldiers" to take to the skies and go on the offensive in order to do the only thing that, according to Charles Darwin, matters: survive. What is not shown in this clip, is President Whitmore's servant leadership. Having previous flight combat experience, Whitmore shows the ultimate act of bravery and pilots the lead plane himself. Whitmore 2012.

2. Transformational Leadership

This style of leadership suggests that people "need leadership that inspires others and enables them to enact revolutionary change." It requires charisma, inspiration, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration. No where else do these elements best harmonize than through Hynkel's speech (played by the late and great Charlie Chaplin) in The Great Dictator.

3. Value-Based Leadership

If someone showed you a man that had all the riches in the world, lead a double-life, and had no parental direction, you would probably assume he is some fat cat businessman or dirty, third-world tyrant. But I am going to show you a man that has all the riches in the world, leads a double-life, and has no parental direction...and his name is Batman. Despite his existence since 1940, no comic book nor movie had ever clearly captured the mission and purpose of Batman's actions. Until The Dark Knight.

After saving a city held in a stranglehold by one if its darkest criminals, Batman accepts neither the accolades nor news conference that often accompanies heroism. Instead, his beliefs, core values, and vision for a greater Gotham leads him to altruistic behaviors that support this vision.

"Because he's the hero Gotham deserves,
but not the one it needs right now.
He's a silent guardian,
a watchful protector,

the Dark Knight."