While recent work has significantly advanced knowledge regarding charismatic leadership as a construct and its relationship to follower performance, substantial gaps in the literature persist. Specifically, the role gender may play as both an antecedent of charismatic leadership as well as a moderator of the relationship between charismatic leadership and follower perceptions is largely unknown. This paper analyzes transcripts from entertainment award show acceptance speeches (N = 125) to assess charismatic leadership tactic (CLT) use and investigates to what extent the charismatic content of the speech, combined with the gender of the speaker and relevant control variables, predicts the success of a YouTube video of the speech. This paper provides initial evidence supporting differential use of CLTs by men and women and takes a critical first step in the investigation of the role gender may play in both the use and reception of CLTs. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
