Scope of analysis of charismatic authority was further extended by Sigmund Freud's second essay Group Psychology and Analysis of the Ego (Massenpsychologie und Ich-analyse), which joined sociology with (social) psychology.Sociologist and psychologist were then followed also by researcher of organisational sciences, thus we will for apply theories on the case of Burton's Astro Airlines and try to explain it. Arthur Burton was a founder of Astro Airlines, airline company providing cheap flights based on radical and visionary idea of it's founder and (charismatic) leader. It could be claimed that Burton had charisma, a term used to describe personal characteristic of people that have ability to persuade, influence and inspire others.Greek meaning of the word „kharisma“ ["gift" or "of/from/favored by God/the divine"(Charisma.
Wikipedia)] suggests that person posses supernatural ability. Despite our scientific atheist/agnostic position, it should be kept in mind that, as W. I. Thomas argued, „if men define situations as real, they are real in their consequences“(Thomas;Thomas 1928, 171). And Arthur Burton was percieved by his employees as almost supernatural – He was regarded by many employees as an ispirational leader who made you believe that you could do anything.His vision was inspiring and appealing, while his speeches communicated high expectations and pictured prosperity and well-being.
In 1980s, when Astro Airlines was established, airline market was full of conventional airline companies that were fighting for every passenger (we cannot speak of crisis, which Weber sees as a prerequisite, but rather of difficult time for newly established enterprises). Burton's idea went beyond it, since he acted unconventionally – target group were people that usually don't travel by plane, which enabled him to succeed and rapidly expand.As Conger and Kanungo argue, „leader may be able to create dissatisfaction with current conditions and simultaneously provide a vision of a more promising future“(Yukl 2002, 243). Burton hired young employees that were not totally satisfied with other job offers and wanted more out of bussines – something only Burton's Astro Airline could give them.
When speaking of group organisation, division of obligations and powers and leader-followers relationship, we should not forget of Freud's discussion on group psychology.He is actually speaking of charismatic leader, when describing a leader with whom individuals identify through their „ideal ego“. Burton was representing „ideal ego“ (or Superego as in Freud's subsequent essays), abolishing all obstacles individuals had and thus seeming unstoppable. As Freud's group psychology suggests, leader must give impression of loving individuals equaly strong, spreading „homo“-sexual love[1]. Not suprisingly, in Astro Airlines „the emphasis was on equality, informality, participative leadership, and self-management“.Individuals were given (the impression of having) power, which gave them self-worth, desire to please leader and struggle to be seen as good employees in leader's eyes [Conger's qualitative survey showed that „desire for approaval was [followers] primary source of motivation.
“(Yukl 2002, 243)]. Burton created a feeling of unity, of „being One“, by obligatory involvment of employees in the ownership of the company and enhanced social identification with him, group and idea (these three categories were merged into one – similar to Christian doctrine of the Trinity).We should not assume that Astro Airlines was solely Burton's project – it was a group project in which Arthur Burton transformed employees' aspirations into company's aspirations and activated employees' repressed[2] potentials for the good of company. As argued and supported by examples throughout this article, Arthur Burton was a charismatic leader in Astro Airlines. His ideas were visionary, he had the ability to motivate and persuade people and created a special (emotional) relationship with his followers.Despite the impression that charismatic leadership is dissapearing (and is replaced by tranformational leadership), we should point out that in today's society capitalism and democratical (non-charismatic) approach are not inevitably connected; the capitalist success of Chinese autocratic and charismatic regime is a good example.
This success has the same reason as Astro's: Burton gave his employees what they wanted – love and annulment of castration anxiety – all they had to do was to enthrone him as their Superego. And a new charismatic leader was created.
