Running head: CHARISMATIC LEADER

Charismatic Leader Deia Champ Virginia Commonwealth University

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CHARISMATIC LEADER

2 Charismatic Leader

Leadership is a word defined by many with various interpretations, understandings, and conclusions. Leaders are often asked to define leadership and to state their leadership style. Answering the question about an individual’s style of leadership may require deep thought in determining which style best fits their characteristics. The intertwining of leadership styles occurs often. One example of a leader with varied leadership styles is Joyce Meyer. Joyce Meyer is a leader, preacher, and motivational speaker. She is a popular Christian leader who ministers and conducts missions around the world. Her leadership style falls into several categories, such as prophetic, transformational, and charismatic. Prophetic leaders have a deep understanding of the biblical text and know their parishioners come from all walks of life. Additionally, prophetic leaders tailor their sermons and themes around current issues and topics (Park, 2012). Transformational leaders are often called change agents as they seek to transform an organization. They are passionate and committed to the vision of the organization (Changing Minds.org, n.d.). In contrast, charismatic leaders have a charming personality that draws their followers to them. They use effective body language, and “show great confidence in their followers” (Changing Minds.org, n.d.). After examining prophetic, charismatic and transformational leadership, Joyce Meyer best exemplifies charismatic leadership because of her ability to motivate and inspire her followers. She has the gift of speaking to her audience in a charismatic manner that captures her audience’s attention as she provides them with a message of hope. Joyce Meyer's charismatic leadership and commitment to the vision of her organization, Joyce Meyer Ministries, is evident by the service her organization provides around the country and world. Presentation, empowerment, and vision are three areas that support Joyce Meyer’s charismatic leadership

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style. She is a persuasive presenter, empowers her audience to live a better life, and has the vision to expand her ministry worldwide. Definition There are many people in the world of academia, business, and religion who have defined charismatic leadership; however, there are some definitions that best describe Joyce Meyer. According to Howell and Avolio (1992), charismatic leaders are effective leaders who inspire “extraordinary performance in followers as well as build their trust, faith, and belief in the leader” (p. 43). Changing Minds.org (n.d.) states charismatic leaders have the ability to pay close attention to the people they are talking with, which makes the supporters feel important. Furthermore, charismatic leaders have the skills to observe keenly their audiences and deliver their messages based on the moods and concerns seen (Changing Minds.org, n.d.). Over the past several decades, increasing attention has been given to charismatic leadership in regards to its affiliation with politics and religion (Choi, 2006). The MerriamWebster dictionary defines charismatic as “having great charm or appeal: filled with charisma —used to describe Christian religious groups whose members believe that they can communicate directly with God to receive help and guidance and the power to heal others” (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). In accordance with Changing Minds.org (n.d.), charismatic leaders work towards managing their image in a variety of ways. Charismatic leaders are persuasive and will demonstrate vulnerability for the sake of their convictions. In addition, charismatic leaders will often include storytelling and imagery in their speeches or messages during various presentations (Changing Minds.org, n.d.). The empathy and honesty of the stories Joyce Meyer shares with her audiences during her presentations contribute to the millions of followers she has gained over the years (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.).

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4 Presentation

On the television program Enjoying Everyday Life, hosted by Joyce Meyer, charisma is evident in her presentation of messages. Joyce Meyer is often seen connecting with her audience through the stories she shares about her life and others. As she shares her stories, she relates them to scriptures in the Bible. In a study conducted by Choi (2006), charismatic leadership was characterized as being based on how leaders interacted with their followers. Charismatic leaders have strong oral communication skills in how they reach their audience. There is a level of transparency, personal warmth, and friendliness through the oral delivery of charismatic leaders (Lankapalli, 2013). An article by Kevin Daley Communispond Inc. and Kim (1997) states presenters and leaders who do not have the natural gift of presentation attend classes that lead to enhancing their presentation skills. For example, Joyce Meyer appears to tailor her speeches and messages around what she believes her audiences want to hear from her. The article continues to suggest that presentations need to be relatable and easy to understand, which is another charismatic skill leaders possess (Kevin Daley Communispond Inc. & Kim, 1997). When Joyce Meyer presented “Life Beyond Abuse” to her audience, she was able to relate to other victims of abuse. She moved past some traumatic experiences during her childhood and encouraged her followers to do the same (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.). To communicate effectively, Lankapalli (2013) states presenters need to focus on body language, use of words, the speed of words, and tone. “Using the right tools to communicate the right messages at the right time can salvage a crisis and motivate people to work towards success,” which is a gift of charismatic leaders (Lankapalli, 2013). Joyce Meyer’s Hand of Hope Missions Ministry, works with people in crisis, poverty, sick, and suffering by assisting them

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through various outreach services while building their faith in Christianity. For example, Hand of Hope provides medical care at hospitals and clinics to thousands of people each year. In addition, Hand of Hope has over 30 children’s homes in the world and cares for more than 900 children (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.). Empowerment Empowering their followers to take the lead in setting and reaching goals individually or collectively is another example of charismatic leadership. The goals set may be personal goals for ones’ life or collective goals for an organization. Joyce Meyer empowers her audience to believe in hope even through life’s struggles. For example, one of Joyce Meyer’s most popular books, Battlefield of the Mind, is a text about how to overcome negative thoughts due to worry, depression, doubt, and anger. The purpose of Battlefield of the Mind is to provide readers with healing of the mind and soul. She encourages her readers to dig deeper within themselves and become more self-aware (Meyer, 1995). Charismatic leaders work towards building self-confidence in their followers so that they may overcome challenges in their lives. They also use the power of persuasion and empathy to lead their followers to independence. Followers of charismatic leaders begin to feel stronger and capable due to the leader’s skill to help them move forward (Choi, 2006). In Joyce Meyer’s devotional book New Day New You, she helps her readers to begin their days in positive ways. She consistently connects her writings to scriptures that leave her readers hopeful about what they want to overcome. Followers of charismatic leaders will often develop critical thinking skills and become open to positive and negative input because of what they learned from their leaders. In addition, charismatic leaders often utilize their control in socially helpful approaches to serving others

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while contributing to the welfare of their supporters (Howell & Avolio, 1992). In the article, Win a Child Win the Future by Amy Lee (2015), she discusses her role as the children’s outreach director for Hand of Hope. Ms. Lee’s position requires her to think critically as she and her team determine what services to provide children in need and what services need to improve. Also, the children’s outreach team have to think about the “social and cultural environments” to ensure the services they provide do not disrupt or create an unsafe environment (Lee, 2015, p. 12). Vision In order for an organization to soar, there must be strong leadership that has a clear vision and a strategic plan for how the organization will achieve the goals of the vision. Joyce Meyer’s vision is to provide support to as many people worldwide as possible, which is the focus of Hand of Hope (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d). Furthermore, charismatic leaders often incorporate the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of their followers in their vision. Some leaders are considered charismatic because they not only communicate their vision to their followers, they believe in the vision, and will do whatever it takes to ensure that they achieve the vision (Howell & Avolio, 1992). For Joyce Meyer to run a successful business, ministry, and organization, she depends on her followers, employees, and partners to follow the vision. Joyce Meyer’s husband, David Meyer, is the CEO of Hand of Hope. As Mr. Meyer travels around the world he is constantly looking for new ways to help people through outreach around the world, which is directly aligned with Joyce Meyer’s vision (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.). Charismatic leaders are admired by their followers when their visions are clear and purposeful (Choi, 2006). For example, Joyce Meyer’s television show, Enjoying Everyday Life, touches about 3 billion people in the world. She also has offices in 12 different countries (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.). Joyce Meyer Ministries is working toward their vision “to reach every

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nation, every city, every day with the Gospel of Jesus Christ” (Joyce Meyer Ministries, n.d.). Research conducted by Yoeli and Berkovich (2010) stated a shared vision from the leader and members contributes to effective leadership. There must be a clear understanding of the vision, which is communicated by the charismatic leader to ensure the success of the organization. Joyce Meyer Ministries reaches millions of people through media and outreach by following the organizations’ vision. Conclusion Charismatic leaders come from all walks of life and skill levels. They may have a natural gift for reaching their audiences or may have learned how to reach their audiences through training. Some charismatic leaders' life experiences led them to gain the ability to reach their audiences in dynamic ways. Whether or not Joyce Meyer’s charismatic leadership is trained or natural, she has a gift to influence her followers to have a desire to enjoy their lives through hope and to overcome the obstacles they endure. She is transparent about many of the issues and challenges she has had to overcome and shares the strategies she used to conquer life’s struggles. In addition, she has created a ministry that supports missions worldwide. The key to charismatic leadership is to use it in a purposeful way to make a positive difference in the lives of their followers and organization. Charismatic leaders must connect with their audience, understand the needs of their audience, have a vision, and craft their message to inspire their audience in a magnificent way. Joyce Meyer’s use of charisma will be an inspiration to generations to come.

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Changing Minds.org. (n.d.). Charismatic Leadership. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/charismatic_leadership.htm Changing Minds.org. (n.d.). Transformational Leadership. Retrieved from http://changingminds.org/disciplines/leadership/styles/transformational_leadership.htm Choi, J. (2006). A motivational theory of charismatic leadership: Envisioning, empathy, and empowerment. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 13(1), 24-43. doi:10.1177/10717919070130010501 Howell, J. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1992). The ethics of charismatic leadership: Submission or liberation? The Executive, 6(2), 43. doi:10.5465/ame.1992.4274395 Joyce Meyer Ministries. (n.d.). Hand of Hope. Retrieved from https://www.joycemeyer.org/HandOfHope/WhoWeAre.aspx Kevin Daley, C. I., & Kim, I. (1997). Don't shy away from presentations. Chemical Engineering, 104(11), 155. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/194440889?accountid=14780 Lankapalli, R. (2013). Developing oral communicative skills: A necessity for today. International Journal of Applied Services Marketing Perspectives, 2(4), 656-661. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1648628680?accountid=14780 Lee, A. (2015, May/June). Win a child win the future: Ministering to children worldwide through God’s word. Enjoying Everyday Life, 11-13. Retrieved from https://www.joycemeyer.org/content/downloads/DOM_MayJune_2015_dnl.pdf Merriam-Webster.com. (n.d.). http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charismatic. Merriam-Webster, LLC.

CHARISMATIC LEADER Meyer, J. (1995). Battlefield of the mind. Tulsa, OK: Harrison House, Inc. Meyer, J. (2012, May). Life beyond abuse. Enjoying Everyday Life. Retrieved from http://www.joycemeyer.org/articles/ea.aspx?article=healing_and_hope Meyer, J. (2007). New day new you. New York, NY: Hachette Book Group USA. Park, S. (2012, August). Speaking of hope: prophetic preaching. Review and Expositor, 109(3), 413-428. doi:10.1177/003463731210900308 Yoeli, R., & Berkovich, I. (2010). From personal ethos to organizational vision: Narratives of visionary educational leaders. Journal of Educational Administration, 48(4), 451-467. doi:10.1108/09578231011054716

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