An Evaluation of Mayoral Leadership: The Case of Ray Nagin
Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans swept into office some three years ago intent on eliminating corruption in the city, reforming a dramatically underperforming school system, creating new jobs and economic opportunities for the largely poor, African-American citizenry, and making the Crescent City not only a desirable tourist destination, but an economic powerhouse (Padgett, 2005). Nagin entered politics after a successful career which led him to become the general manager of Cox Cable in New Orleans. A self-made millionaire, Nagin presented himself as a man capable of applying business expertise and leadership to the political arena and as more capable than any other possible candidate of instituting the structural reforms and policies that New Orleans desperately needed (Gibbons, 2005).
Even early in his mayoral tenure, critics considered Nagin to be a "mercurial political neophyte incapable of creating the consensus building necessary for such a giant undertaking" (Padgett, 2005, p. 34). If this was an opinion held by many prior to Hurricane Katrina, it is an opinion that many more residents of the devastated New Orleans regions outsiders share today. At issue herein is an evaluation of the leadership exhibited by Mayor Nagin during and after Hurricane Katrina.
It is best to consider Nagin as a leader who attempts to exhibit the characteristics of transformational leadership. Deluga and College (2000) describe transformational leaders as those who cultivate subordinates' acceptance of the work group mission. Such leaders create relationships with their subordinates that are mutually stimulating and characterized by four factors: 1) charisma; 2) inspiration; 3) individual consideration; and 4) intellectual stimulation (Deluga & College, 2000).
Transformational leaders as described by Deluga and College (2000) seek to empower others and to share decisionma...