James MacGregor Burns who used the expression to illustrate a category of political leaders he studied created the expression “transformational”. The expression is now used in other varieties of leadership. Transformational leaders are frequently depicted as those who convey a vision of the adjustments required in an organization’s composition. This vision will be successful if the leader can convert the vision into implementation (Wren, 1994, p 445). Transformational leadership also, “requires a vision of the future and the capacity to articulate and implement innovative, coordinated strategies to achieve it”, (Gilkey, 1999,p227). This paper will be a synopsis of Ronald Reagan as a transformational leader. His leadership actions, behaviors, practices, and skills will be discussed. How his environment shaped his leadership, as well as, his influences on this author will follow.
Ronald Reagan was the 40th president of the United States and served two terms in office from 1980-1988. He was the oldest man, at the age of 69, and the first movie actor to be elected president (Graham, 2005). President Reagan died on June 5, 2004 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. President Reagan was a perpetual optimistic, and his optimism was contagious. His leadership style was about optimism. If people are confident a leader understands where he is going, they are more probable to abide by him (Thomas, 2004). President Reagan’s lifelong legacy, more than anything else, is restore “despair with hope”. He was a caring, gracious president, and a good man. He was the right man in the right job at the right time. The world is different because Ronald Reagan came our way” (Thomas, 2004).
Leadership actions and behaviors
The mentioned accomplishments of President Reagan administration are ending the Cold War, saving the American economy from the despair of high inflation and high employment, and reinstating America’s appearance both at home and abroad. Another outstanding, but seldom mentioned, contribution is the Tax Reform Act of 1986. The tax reform legislation, which develops into a law, enclosed ideas from Reagan’s vision (Leggette & Funk, 2005).
In maintaining his leadership style, President Reagan left the particulars of applying the vision to key aides, but supplied leadership when necessary. President Reagan was effective when he communicated his vision for a more balanced and simplified tax code openly to the American people (Leggette & Funk, 2005).
The country was experiencing economic disorder when President Reagan took office. Interest rates were as high as 21%, inflation of 12.5%, unemployment was at 7.5%, which would increase to almost 10%. The national security of our country was equally serious. The military had declined throughout the 1970s to an uncertain point. The military was suffering from low morale, discipline problems, and a serious drug abuse epidemic as a result of the Vietnam conflict. Consequently, our country was neither a convincing deterrent to our opponents nor a dependable supporter to our allies (Meese, 1999).
The above mentioned were the circumstances that President Reagan encountered when he became president on the 20th of January in 1981. He had campaigned on two major objectives. The first was to rejuvenate the economy, and the second, to reconstruct the military abilities and reinstate the country’s place in world leadership. To rejuvenate the economic strength, President Reagan had a four part agenda. The first element was to reduce tax rates. Accordingly, the country had a 25% reduction in tax rates over three years. The second element of President Reagan’s agenda was regulatory modification, to reduce the overwhelming regulations enforced by the federal government. The third element was to slow down the expansion of federal spending. Lastly, the fourth element was a stable monetary policy, which kept prices moderately low. As a result of this four part agenda, the country had the best stage of peacetime economic growth in history. In return the beginning of a stage of economic growth (Meese, 1999).
In pertaining to national security, President Reagan reconstructed the country’s military first by raising the technological capability of the military. President Reagan then established a strategic defense plan. He also initiated a different approach with the Soviet Union, referring to the country as an “evil empire.” This directed respect to President Reagan and negotiations ensued with Gorbachev. President Reagan had a dedication to confine Soviet aggression and supported the freedom fighters of Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Poland and Angola. As a result, the Cold War ended, the Soviet Union ended (Meese, 1999).
Another valuable characteristic of the Reagan presidency was his confidence in the first-rate principles and the beneficial causes of the American people. President Reagan challenged the American people to accept more accountability for themselves and depend less on the government. President Reagan contemplated that government assistance only helped the American people for a period of time but did not solve the problem. Some of President Reagan’s objectives were not completed during his presidency. However, President Reagan develop the groundwork for the country’s persistent economic expansion, stressed the significance of the country’s military power, initiated the reinstatement of the Constitutional balance of power amid the government and the states, and assisted the American people to reclaim their assurance and entrepreneurial fortitude (Meese, 1999).
Leadership practices and skills
President Reagan supported four “Pillars of Freedom”: “individual liberty, economic opportunity, global democracy and national pride”(Connerly, 2000). President Reagan exhibited shrewd supervision of the news media; he realized recognition for successes and dissociated himself from failures. Conceivably refined during his acting career, President Reagan engaged notion management strategies to establish a charismatic characteristic of being personable, likeable, and an influential president. Reagan’s self-assurance and sense of humor underneath stress advanced his charismatic leadership qualities (Deluga, 1998).
President Reagan was one of history’s supreme orators. His metaphorical skills powered his political career, contributing to election successes. As the President of the United States, Ronald Reagan profited from his oratory aptitude to direct the nation and improve his own popularity. President Reagan used his speeches to represent the measures that would guide the nation to prosperity through the reception of his administration’s conservative principles. President Reagan’s speeches usually contained references to God, freedom, individuality, growth, and illustrations of real-life heroes exemplifying moralistic values, (Sullivan, et al).
President Reagan’s acting skills undoubtedly assisted his oratorical successes. Television permitted President Reagan to rely upon his emotional facial features, and expressive voice. President Reagan understood that typical request could not influence an audience, but that emotions provided an ordinary denominator to all types people, emotions that Reagan could competently bring forth. President Reagan once said, “I wasn’t a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn’t spring full bloom from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation–from our experience, our wisdom, and. the principles that have guided us for two centuries.” (Sullivan et al)
Leader’s environment and leadership practice and style
Nancy Reagan was the focus of President Reagan’s life. He gathered a great deal of “inspiration and support” from her that enabled him to present the manner of leadership to our nation and to the world so competently (Connerly, 2000). His mother, Nelle Reagan, also influenced President Reagan, a lot of what President Reagan accomplished that was significant to his success derived from the faith he obtained from his mom. The hopefulness that President Reagan required to do what he did came from his faith, (Moll, 2004).
President Reagan’s influence on author’s leadership style
The world desperately requires leaders like President Reagan, individuals who do not inform us of what they think we want to hear, but who inform us of what they believe. Individuals who convey their beliefs in language that are not contained in political correctness, and who are prepared to support and protect their beliefs, no matter what. President Reagan inspired people, as well as, this author with his strength of character and the certainty of his convictions. President Reagan’s leadership can provide the guidelines for a future in which we have peace, freedom, and the flourishing of the human spirit, which will be a benefit not only to the United States but the whole world, (Meese, 1999).
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