Gandhi - the Transformational Leader
Gandhi – The Transformational Leader Leadership is the ability to influence a group towards the achievement of a vision or a set of goals. Leadership could be defined simply as the ability to lead - that is to guide, direct, influence or inspire. Many leadership theories abound amongst which the theory of Transformational Leadership proposed by Burns and Bass provides wide ranging applications and some very prominent examples. Transformational leadership enhances the motivation, morale and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms. This theory includes the following four characteristics – Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation and Individualized Consideration. Gandhi was an exemplary public figure who captured the imagination of the world and has remained ingrained in people’s consciousness with his theory of non violence and satyagraha. He provided a vision and a sense of mission to the Indian public and it was under his leadership that India won its Independence. He with his charismatic personality inspired millions of Indians by giving them individualized consideration and stimulating them to higher order needs. He was not driven by market forces of capitalism but by sheer drive to achieve liberty and freedom for his people. He appealed to higher values and ideals of followers by using charismatic methods to attract them to the mission and consequently to himself. Thus, we decided to take up a study project concerned with Gandhi’s leadership style and how it affected the Independence movement and spawned a series of followers of Gandhi redefining humanity’s take on colonialism and human