Nelson Mandela and Adolf Hitler are considered two influential leaders whose decisions have

made significant changes in the history. Also, the two leaders are chosen as they propose
extreme difference in terms of leadership attitudes and style, charismatic leadership, ethical
decision-making and leadership powers. And these are also the key theories employed to
analyze and contrast them. Referring to leadership attitudes and styles, Mandela had strong
relationship-oriented behaviors which contributed to his participate leadership style. In
contrast, the task-related behaviors of Hitler helped form his autocratic leadership style.
Secondly, both leaders had similar characteristics of a charismatic leader: having a strong vision,
being risk-taking and masterful communicators. However, two leaders were opposite in their
intentions of using their charisma, which resulted in their different types of charismatic leaders:
Mandela was categorized as a socialized charismatic leader while the type of charisma that
Hitler used was personalized charisma. Thirdly, Mandela and Hitler also processed different
ethical decision-making. Whilst Mandela showed a strong commitment to justice, Hitler based
on the consequentialism to make ethical decisions. In fact, Mandela was truly an ethical leader
for all the things he has devoted but Hitler was an unethical one due to immoral consequences
he caused to Jews and others. Lastly, in the topic about leadership power, Mandela successfully
used the power derived from his own characteristics and behaviors, which were expert power,
referent power, and prestige power. Conversely, Hitler used legitimate power, coercive power
and expert power so as to influence people.