The office of the American presidency is a multi-faceted
occupation that requires many kinds of leadership styles. This hub briefly
discusses some of the hats worn by American President Barack Obama during the two
terms of his presidency. Mostly the article focuses on three broad leadership
styles including transformational-charismatic, cross-cultural, and
contingency-situational leadership. The opinion polls allow you to rate how you
think President Obama has done in these areas and overall during his eight
years in office. Please feel free to participate.
Transformational-charismatic
Before the election, President Barack Obama attracted the
attention of American's and foreigners alike with a seemingly charismatic
nature. A charismatic leader has an uncanny ability to draw others to his side
and move them to accomplish a cause bigger than themselves. A charismatic
approach is transformational if it invokes a permanent change in the people who
embrace the leader's vision. During his first term, President Obama wooed at
least some to his vision by showing the potential to make a huge difference in
both domestic and foreign affairs. In his second term, he seemed more aloof and
demonstrated less ability to draw others to his agenda. Some even feel that he
has not lived up to full expectations. Yet, Lisa Calhoun in an article on
Inc.Com demonstrated that Obama indeed checked many items off his presidential
bucket list, regardless if some liked what he did and others did not.
Cross-Cultural-Global Leadership
Under the Bush Administration, America's image lost much of
its shine. This was mostly due to a unilateral, ethnocentirc foreign policy
espoused by Bush and Cheney. While not taking America's safety needs for
granted, President Obama formulated a more cross-cultural approach to the
world, thinking not only of the US's interests but also the interests of the
other nations as well.In the first six months on the job, President Obama
traveled abroad more than any other president at that point of his administration
and seemed to pay careful attention to cultural norms in the places where he
traveled.
After his first year, the President's attempt to be more
conciliatory to the Middle East, China, and Russia were welcomed by the world
in that he received the Nobel Peace Prize. In other trips in the subsequent
years, Obama was often criticized for kowtowing to foreign officials that
critics declared showed a sign of weakness. Still, President Barack Obama did
well to learn the greeting customs of even small nations like Cambodia that
showed respect to their Heads of State. In his final year of office, he visited
Vietnam where he took time to eat in a small roadside demonstrating a sense of
cultural humility.
However,some believe the President's policies toward the Middle
East helped bring about the Arab Spring which resulted in the overthrow of at
least a few pro-American regimes. It appeared the Obama and the Department of
the Security of State did not have a plan in place to help these countries
after the overthrows. As a result after eight years in the White House there
are a number of hot spots around the globe that some see resulted from Obama's
lack of leadership in the world. Those hot spots included Syria, the rebel
group ISIS's march through northern Iraq, Russia threatening invasion into
eastern Ukraine, and China's many disputes about territorial waters in the East
and South China Seas. It is interesting that in his final year of office,
President Obama took a trip to Vietnam to talk about the potential sup
Contingency Leadership
During his first five years in office, Mr. Obama not only
displayed culturally sensitive and transformational leadership, he responded to
various situations using different types of leadership models. In this way he
modeled what has been described as contingency leadership. When traveling
abroad Obama was conciliatory, humble and apt to listen before speaking. When
he faced the failing automobile industry, he did not mince words but stood
tough to call for necessary changes. This was seen in how he forced GM and
Chrysler to accept new MPG standards and pare down their long-time commitment
to NASCAR. When Congress refused to work with him, he chose to go it alone and
legislate by executive order. He risked potential impeachment to stick to his
values and principles and accomplish what he set out to accomplish even if many
thought it was wrong for the country. Under the heat of the current foreign and
economic troubles, Obama worked hard to accomplish what he promised
understanding that each second he waited could have meant a lost home or job
for another group of citizens. Whether one liked what he did or not, Obama did
not shy away from the challenges that faced him when he accepted the job as
president.plying of arms to Vietnam to help protect the shipping lanes in the
South China Sea.
Contingency Leadership
During his first five years in office, Mr. Obama not only
displayed culturally sensitive and transformational leadership, he responded to
various situations using different types of leadership models. In this way he
modeled what has been described as contingency leadership. When traveling
abroad Obama was conciliatory, humble and apt to listen before speaking. When
he faced the failing automobile industry, he did not mince words but stood
tough to call for necessary changes. This was seen in how he forced GM and
Chrysler to accept new MPG standards and pare down their long-time commitment
to NASCAR. When Congress refused to work with him, he chose to go it alone and
legislate by executive order. He risked potential impeachment to stick to his
values and principles and accomplish what he set out to accomplish even if many
thought it was wrong for the country. Under the heat of the current foreign and
economic troubles, Obama worked hard to accomplish what he promised
understanding that each second he waited could have meant a lost home or job
for another group of citizens. Whether one liked what he did or not, Obama did
not shy away from the challenges that faced him when he accepted the job as
president.
President Obama's Personaility Profile
Sarah Moore and
Angela Rodgers, students at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn.,
did a research project on “The Personality Profile of President Barack Obama:
Leadership Implications” and presented the results at the 6th annual Minnesota
Private Colleges Scholars at the Capitol event, Feb. 19, in the State Capitol
rotunda, St. Paul, Minn.
The profile revealed that Barack Obama is ambitious and
confident; modestly dominant and self-asserting; accommodating, cooperative,
and agreeable; somewhat outgoing and congenial; and relatively conscientious.
The combination of ambitious and accommodating patterns in Obama’s profile suggests
a “confident conciliator” personality composite.
Leaders with this personality prototype, though self-assured
and ambitious, are characteristically gracious, considerate, and benevolent.
They are energetic, charming, and agreeable, with a special talent for settling
differences and a preference for mediation and compromise over force or
coercion as a strategy for resolving conflict. They are driven primarily by a
need for achievement, but also have substantial affiliation needs and a modest
need for power.
The study offers an empirically based framework for
anticipating Obama’s performance as chief executive. The following general
predictions regarding Obama’s likely leadership style can be inferred from his
personality profile:
Ambitious, self-assured,
gracious, considerate
Preference for
mediation and compromise over force or coercion as a strategy for resolving
conflict
High need for
achievement; moderate need for affiliation; low need for power
More pragmatic
than ideological
More task- than relationship oriented
Likely to act as a
strong advocate in his administration, using his powers of persuasion to
advance his policy vision
Preference for
gathering information from a variety of sources rather than relying solely on
advisors and administration officials
In dealing with
members of Congress, may show preference for avoiding unnecessary conflict by
trying to remain above the fray in heated, highly divisive debates
Preference for
articulating and defending his policies in person rather than relying on staff
and administration officials to speak for him
Compiled by William Bryan
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