CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

charismatic leadership is basically the method of encouraging particular behaviors in others

by way of eloquent communication, persuasion and force of personality.  Charismatic leaders
motivate followers to get things done or improve the way certain things are done.  This is
accomplished by conjuring up eagerness in others to achieve a stated goal or vision.  In
essence, the charismatic leadership style has its basis in a form of heroism.  This leadership
style is almost of divine origin.

Charisma is essentially a process – an interface between the characteristics of a charismatic leader,

the group that is being led, their identification with their leader, their needs and the circumstances
that require a charismatic leader like a crisis or need for change.  However, as it relates to the
charismatic traits of leader, prominence is placed on the way they communicate with members of the
group and their ability to gain the trust of followers and inspire these individuals to perform.
A number of politicians have honed and developed the capacity to effectively communicate; working
the room and making speeches addressing supporters and potential donors.  There are a lot of
politicians who exude tons of personal charisma.

The charismatic leadership style relies on the charm and persuasiveness of the leader. Charismatic
leaders are driven by their convictions and commitment to their cause.

Charismatic leaders also are sometimes called transformational leaders because they share multiple
similarities. Their main difference is focus and audience. Charismatic leaders often try to make the
status quo better, while transformational leaders focus on transforming organizations into the
leader’s vision.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a charismatic leader who used powerful oratory, an engaging
personality, and unwavering commitment to positive change in the lives of millions of people.

What sets charismatic leaders apart is that they are “essentially very skilled communicators,
individuals who are both verbally eloquent, but also able to communicate to followers on a deep,
emotional level,” said Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., professor of leadership and organizational
psychology at Claremont McKenna College, in his Psychology Today article “What is Charisma and
Charismatic Leadership?”

Charismatic leaders are often identified in times of crisis and exhibit exceptional devotion to and
expertise in their fields. They are often people with a clear vision in business or politics and the
ability to engage with a large audience.

A charismatic leadership definition is incomplete if it does not focus on the leader personally. More
than other popular leadership styles, charismatic leadership depends on the personality and actions
of the leader — not the process or structure.

Charismatic leadership requirements

Common characteristics of leaders with charisma identified by Jay Alden Conger, leadership expert
at the University of Southern California, and Henry Kravis, professor of leadership at Claremont
McKenna College, include:
  Sensitivity to their environment and the needs of their employees or followers
 Articulate and visionary
 Inclined toward personal risk taking
 Adept at using unconventional behavior

Advantages and disadvantages of charismatic

leadership
There are many advantages to this leadership style. Charismatic leaders are often a catalyst for
social change. They are, however, not a fit for organizations that depend on rigid structures and
processes to function.

Charismatic leadership pros

 Charismatic leaders inspire people to work together for a common cause
 Organizations are committed to a central mission
 Management prioritizes learning from mistakes in an effort to succeed in their mission
 Charismatic-led companies tend to be cohesive because their workers have a clear purpose
Charismatic leadership cons
 Leaders may develop tunnel vision or arrogance, undoing their previous good deeds
 Organizations can become dependent on charismatic leaders and may suffer if he or she
retires, leaves the company, or dies suddenly
 Charismatic leaders sometimes become unresponsive to their subordinates or constituents
 These leaders may not learn from their mistakes, compounding them
 Charismatic leaders may believe they are above the law, committing financial or ethical
violations


Benefits of charismatic leadership

The world needs charismatic leaders because they fight for quality of life and a better world.
Charismatic leaders have the courage of their convictions. They are willing to stand up to people
who have a differing view of society or the organization.

Charismatic leaders tend to be able to see the gaps between what an organization delivers to its
workers and what the workers need from the organization. They create visions that their supporters
can readily see, and in return the supporters are motivated to contribute to a common goal.

Differences between charismatic leadership and other styles

“Charismatic leadership is a leadership style that is recognizable but may be perceived with less
tangibility than other leadership styles,” writes Mar Bell in “Charismatic Leadership Case Study with
Ronald Reagan as Exemplar.”

Charismatic leadership is similar to other styles. Both it and transformational leadership rely on the
ability of the leader to influence and inspire followers. Transformational and charismatic leaders
motivate the individual or those around them to be better and to work for the greater good of an
organization or society. Other similarities include:

 Leaders rally those around them in service of a common goal

 Initiative and boldness are encouraged
The differences between charismatic and transformational leadership styles lie primarily in how the
individual is viewed.

 The personal vision of a charismatic leader has a great deal of influence over his or her
audience
 Charismatic leaders speak about their moral compass or passion rather than an existing
method of doing business
Democratic and charismatic leaders compared
When compared to democratic leadership, similarities to the charismatic style include:

 They both place considerable responsibility on the leader

 Leaders guide employees, team members or volunteers in a particular direction
 There is often a spirit of collaboration
The differences between charismatic leadership and democratic leadership include:

 In democratic leadership, workers must have high-level skills in addition to the desire to work
 Democratic leaders are highly rational and deliberate in their style
 Charismatic leaders appeal to the emotions of the audience
 In the charismatic leadership style, working toward a greater good is emphasized

Comparing autocratic and charismatic leadership

Likewise, charismatic and autocratic leadership styles share some traits. Both leaders often increase
employee productivity. The key difference: The charismatic leader typically inspires employees to
perform. The autocratic leader uses their authority to demand high performance. The short-term
result is identical, although the long-term consequences may differ.

Charismatic leaders structure their organizations as they see fit. This is another example of a
crossover between charismatic and autocratic leadership styles. The intensity of both styles may
also generate early burnout of their leaders (and followers).

CHARACTEISTICS OF CHARASMATICS LEADERSHIP

These charismatic leaders have a quality which is hard to pin down, but which attracts followers
and inspires people to action. Transformational leaders are often highly charismatic because they
are capable of initiating and maintaining a significant level of change in the organization.

The following are some of the most prominent characteristics of charismatic leadership.

1. Communication

Charismatic leaders have extraordinary skills in communication. This helps to motivate

employees through tough times and also help them stay grounded when things are good. The
leaders are equally comfortable communicating one-to-one or in a group setting.
2. Maturity

Though they have a very powerful personality, a charismatic leader also has maturity and
character. They don’t believe in empty showmanship, but they draw on their wisdom and
knowledge which they have accumulated over the years of life and business experiences. They
behave in a mature and responsible manner on all occasions.

3. Humility

Charismatic leaders also have a sense of humility. They place a lot of value on each employee,
and have the ability to truly listen to their concerns. The charismatic leader is able to convince
the employee of the value that they bring to the organization, and show them how their
contributions impact the strategic interests of the company. They inspire great loyalty from their
employees.

4. Compassion

Successful charismatic leaders are also compassionate. Charisma alone may not be enough,
because there’s a very real possibility that it can disintegrate into mere hero worship.
Compassion, integrity, honesty, and fortitude are also qualities that successful charismatic
leaders exhibit.

5. Substance

Charisma can exist without substance, but only for a very short time. Flashy and glitzy behavior
may capture the attention of people, but eventually they will want something substantial beneath
the facade. A charismatic leader must not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk. Charm gets
him the face time, and substance closes the deal.

6. Confidence

It goes without saying that charismatic leaders are truly confident. They are the glass half full
kind of people, and are comfortable with who they are. They understand themselves well and do
not try to be anyone else. Charismatic leaders are secure and confident enough to be comfortable
in their own skin.

7. Positive body language

One of the first things that you’d notice about a charismatic leader is their warm, open, and
positive body language. They make eye contact with were that they are talking to, smile, and
introduce themselves to strangers with the genuine joy of making a new contact. They have an
endearing swagger, and they are authentic.

8. Listening skills
Charismatic leaders are extremely good listeners. When they listen to you, they don’t fidget or
look distracted. A charismatic leader pays attention to what is being said, and listens with
interest. They are engaged in the conversation and act with empathy.

9. Self-monitoring

One of the attributes of charismatic leaders is that they often tend to watch themselves. They are
aware of their powerful personality, and the fact that their followers are watching them
constantly. For this reason, they consider it important to portray a good image of themselves to
their followers. This can be achieved only with self-monitoring.

10. Self-improvement

A charismatic leader understands that he has certain qualities that make him different from
others, and that these are the qualities that get him attention and make him charismatic. So he
also knows how important it is to continually improve himself.

Examples of charismatic leadership

Charismatic leaders are from all walks of life. In addition to business, this leadership style can be
found in religious institutions and political and social movements.

Religious examples of charismatic leadership

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Born in 1929, Dr. King followed in the footsteps of his father as a Baptist minister. He started his civil
rights career as the leader of the bus boycott the night that Rosa Parks was arrested in Montgomery,
Alabama. Dr. King’s powerful speeches and belief in peaceful protest put energy into the civil rights
movement. In January 1957, he and several others founded the Southern Christian Leadership
Conference. In 1960, Dr. King gained national notoriety for his arrest at a lunch counter sit-in, which
came to the attention of presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. He was soon released and went on
to have even greater influence in the fight for civil rights.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches ignited smaller movements for equal rights through the American
South and beyond. Dr. King is best known for the August 28, 1963, march on Washington that drew
more than 200,000 people. At that march, he delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. The
following year, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.

Mother Teresa
Born in Macedonia (now Yugoslavia) as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910, Mother Teresa was a
Roman Catholic nun best known for her work with the poor. Mother Teresa joined the Sisters of
Loreto when she was 18 and moved to India in 1929. As a novitiate, she was sent to Calcutta and
taught at St. Mary’s School for Girls.

In 1946, Mother Teresa abandoned teaching to follow what she considered her calling, founding the
Missionaries of Charity to live and serve in the slums of Calcutta. Over the course of the 1950s and
’60s, she established a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, a family clinic and a string of
mobile clinics.
In 1971, she traveled to New York to open her first U.S.-based house of charity. In 1985, she spoke
at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly. By the time of her death, the
Missionaries of Charity numbered over 4,000 sisters with 610 foundations in 123 countries. Her
inspiring, devout persona and devotion to a singular idea make her a good example of a charismatic
leader.

Pope John Paul II

In 1920, Pope John Paul ll was born in Poland as Karol Józef Wojtyla. Under Nazi occupation, he
began his theological studies in a secret seminary in 1938 and was ordained as a Catholic priest in
1946. John Paul became the bishop of Ombi in 1958.

Well regarded for his work in the church, John Paul was made a cardinal in 1967. In 1978, he was
elected pope, a role he occupied until his death in 2005. Pope John Paul II was instrumental in
examining the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the modern world. He traveled to more than 100
countries and was a vocal advocate for human rights.

Political examples of charismatic leadership

Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in 1911. He gained fame as an actor after signing a seven-year
movie contract with Warner Brothers in 1937. During World War ll, he made training films for the
military. Although he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, a labor union, Reagan’s
political views shifted from liberal to conservative in the 1950s.

He began giving motivational talks to businesses and moved to the national stage in 1964, when he
gave a well-received televised speech for Barry Goldwater. He ran for president beginning in 1968
and won in 1980. President Reagan was able to articulate his political vision in ways that appealed
to his followers. Along with Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Reagan is recognized as one of
the most charismatic American presidents of the 20th century.

Sir Winston Churchill

Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born in 1874. Although he is best known for being the prime
minister of England during World War ll, he honed his communication skills as a war correspondent
in World War l and crafted legislation for Parliament as a member. He was a powerful orator who
used radio speeches to buoy the British people’s resilience during Germany’s World War II bombing
of England.