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Leadership Tip of the Month

November 2002

Copyright 2002 ã weLEAD, Inc.

Leadership and Charisma

For decades it was incorrectly believed by many people that all great leaders possessed a trait called charisma. This influential trait is defined as “those who arouse fervent popular devotion and enthusiasm”. It typically includes a strong personal magnetism or charm. Unfortunately, far too many people have actually defined leadership as if it was synonymous with charisma! Many military generals, business mavericks and athletic coaches have been quoted extensively to promote a “winning is everything” or the “only thing” approach to achievement or problem solving. No doubt that talented individuals like Vince Lombardi and General George S. Patton had charisma and some valuable leadership skills. It is true that when used effectively charisma can be a powerful motivating tool by those leaders who possess it. But this does not prove an exclusive link between leadership and charisma. In actuality, the majority of leaders who have ever existed or exist today do not have charisma. The reason is because it is not essential for leadership.

Sadly some individuals who have the gift of charisma have misused this tool to manipulate and deceive followers to achieve personal gain or power. This has been a common problem throughout human history. Recent news reports about political and business corruption highlights how certain individuals have misused their power of persuasion to abuse others for selfish personal gain.

As a society, our focus should not be on those who have charisma but rather on those who lead with integrity. Author Jim Collins comments in his book Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t (HarperCollins) that the difference between a good leader and a bad one is “the inner landscape of the leader”. He spent five years studying business leaders who took their companies from good to great by maintaining outstanding performance for at least 15 years. His conclusion is that the good leaders were “ambitious first and foremost for their cause, for the company, for the work. Not for themselves. They are self-confident, not self-centered”.

Did Collins find that charisma was an essential or even important trait for a good leader? To the contrary he found that these leaders were “self-effacing, quiet, reserved, even shy – these leaders are a paradoxical blend of personality, humility and professional will. They are more like Lincoln and Socrates than Patton or Caesar”. It is a common cultural flaw to expect leaders to exhibit charisma or to closely link leadership with charisma. This flaw has led many down a path of frustration and disillusionment when the personal charisma of a leader proved to be self-absorbed and shallow.

Instead of charisma, our culture should focus on possessing leadership qualities like being trustworthy, genuine, honest and service-minded. These are the traits that reveal the “inner landscape of the leader” and provide a long-term motivation for others to follow.

For weLEAD, this is Greg Thomas reminding you that it was Confucius who said, “Humility is the solid foundation of all the virtues”.

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