The charismatic and transformational leadership of New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, in handling the terrorist crisis in New York City on September 11 and the aftermath following, has generally been hailed by critics and observers alike. Nevertheless, no one leadership style can be applied to all situations and remain equally as effective in each. As reluctant as we may be to criticize the leadership style exhibited by Giuliani during such a sensitive situation, it is quite possible that an alternative leadership style may have been more effective in achieving organizational (i.e. New York City) goals.
On September 11, 2001, Mayor GiulianiÆs leadership was transformational as opposed to transactional in nature. As Robbins (2003) maintains, a transformational leaders is one that ôinspires followers to transcend their own self-interests for the goal of the organization and who is capable of having a profound or extraordinary effect on his or her followersö (141). There is no denying this defines Mayor GiulianiÆs leadership style in handling September 11. However, a transactional leadership style, one whereby leaders steer followers to established goals through task and goal clarification may have been even more successful.
There are a variety of theories of managerial leadership styles across the trait, behavior, and situational spectrum. However, the ideas of each basically encompass the following four styles of managerial leadership:
Leaders emphasize the achievement of concrete objectives. They look for high levels of productivity, and ways to organize people and activities in order to meet those objectives.
Leaders look upon their followers as people û their needs, interests, problems, development and so on. They are not simply units of production or means to an end.
This style is characterized by leaders taking decisions for others û and expecting followers or subordinates to follow instructions.
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