The Dark Side of Transformational Leadership A critical perspective

Abstract

Elmer Gantry is a 1960s fi lm about a dedicated female evangelist, Sharon Falconer, played by Jean Simmons, and the title character, played by Burt Lancaster, who is a fast-talking travelling salesman. 1 Attending one of Falconer’s events, he is attracted to her and even more to the realisation that money can be made from what he sees as little more than a racket. A riveting performer, Gantry buries his shady past to become the star of the show, wowing audiences through out America, until exposure, disaster and – perhaps – some kind of moral reawak ening takes place. Whatever his genuine beliefs, the fame and success that he enjoys in his role of travelling preacher man takes precedence over his purported message and the good of whatever followers his proselytising manages to attract. Never has charisma been so seductive – or so tawdry. If there is any redemption for Gantry, it is only partial. For at least one follower, Sharon Falconer, it is too late. Devoted to the beliefs that she at least articulated with complete sincerity, she perishes in a fi re, unable to face the truth of Gantry’s betrayal. Nothing is as it seems. In this fi lm, sincerity may be real but it is attached to dubious beliefs; inspiring rhetoric camoufl ages malign intent; love is a tool of manipulation; high ideals are a ploy to win people’s hearts, all the better to purloin their wallets. The more charismatic and impressive a speaker may be, the wider is the chasm between him or her and the authentic interests of their followers.