Charismatic Leadership: Good or Evil?

When you ask most people to think of a great leader, the type of person that springs to mind is that magnetic, charismatic, inspiring type of leader that very rarely exists in the real world. Which means it’s usually someone famous or fictitious.

The problem I’ve always had with judging leaders by their charisma is this: history is crammed with examples of bad actors (not the Film & TV kind, the above gif is …misleading) who have been able to rely on their powerful charisma, often cultivated, to lead people in the wrong direction.

Of course, there are also examples of the opposite, the great and the good who use their charisma to the benefit of all. But those great leaders have more behind them than just charisma alone, whether it be genuinely held beliefs, a just cause, undeniable expertise, simple clarity of vision, or all of the above.

The problem is, we often don’t know which it is until later; sometimes TOO late. Clearly we can’t mistrust every leader just because they have a bit of charm and charisma either.

So, when it comes to leaders in the workplace, how can we spot the difference?

Full disclosure, I've maybe unconsciously been avoiding this discussion for a while now, in part because of my own hard-earned cynicism about the role of charisma.

What changed my mind?

A few weeks ago, on Leading with integrity: Leadership talk, I chatted with Douglas Squirrel about the importance of productive conflict, which has since inspired me to tackle the discussion on charismatic leadership.

To get started, I recently had a conversation with Sebastian Walls from the Art of Charisma, and the rest of this article is a summary of what I learned from that thought-provoking experience! If you want to hear the whole conversation, you can find it here: Ep.73: The Double-Edge of Charisma in Leadership.

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Charisma: A Double-Edged Sword

When I asked my followers on LinkedIn what their thoughts on charisma and leadership were, the results were more or less as expected, and this is in many ways encouraging:

The very excellent Mr. Richard Hiron, a.k.a. The Hironator, wins top comment on this one, with some insightful thoughts on his own experiences with it:

It seems that charisma has a complex reputation, then! It has been both misused by some (see also: several well known dictators) and employed for good by some of history's greatest leaders (think Barack Obama, Winston Churchill, and Nelson Mandela). The challenge for us, as leaders and followers, is distinguishing between those who wield charisma for noble purposes and those who misuse it.

Charisma can be used for both good and bad, depending on it’s authenticity vs how superficial it is.

To my surprise, which probably betrays my lack of deep thought on the topic, there are several parallels between charisma and leadership. For example, both tend to be seen as a built-in trait, a divine gift, or something you’re either ‘born-with’ or not. The debate about whether charisma is a skill or a natural ability mirrors the ongoing discussion about leadership itself. Just as leadership can be learned, charisma can be developed. It's about applying the right techniques and practicing authenticity consistently.

When you break down it’s key parts, charisma consists of tangible skills and behaviours. It's not a mysterious force but a set of actions that you can build up, practice, and which, when applied genuinely, can help you build up charisma.

Authenticity is the cornerstone of effective charisma.

Another huge similarity is in the role of authenticity, honesty and vulnerability. Humans are natural lie detectors. We can sense when someone is being genuine or not.

For instance, in the workplace, offering insincere praise or fake smiles doesn't fool anyone; especially not in the long term. Just like a leader trying to win over unhappy team members with a day out of the office or some cheap beanbag chairs! In both cases you risk your credibility and reputation, and diminish your ability to lead or be seen as someone with charisma.

Instead, being honest and compassionate with your team fosters trust and connection. Which are vital to effective use of charisma and your ability to lead (or combined, to be a charismatic leader!).

Sincerity and authenticity are vital components of charisma.

Building Your Charismatic Leadership: The Components

Effective and successful charismatic leaders make exceptional first impressions. They employ the chameleon effect, adapting to various situations. They excel at storytelling, conveying emotions, ideas, and concepts. Sebastian tells a great story about President Obama to illustrate this point - but essentially these leaders, whether they're meeting colleagues, candidates, customers, celebrities or world leaders, they’re able to adjust their approach, mirroring the context.

Charismatic leaders excel in first impressions, adaptability, and storytelling.

Charisma isn't just a personal attribute; it's a vital job skill, often underestimated. In today's tech-driven world, soft skills like charisma (and leadership) remain crucial because we will always need to interact with people in some capacity.

At least until the machines achieve self-awareness…

Charisma is a valuable job skill that enhances relationships and performance.

There’s an idea called everyday leadership that also feels relevant here, in many ways the concept of leadership is misunderstood, it doesn’t always have to involve a person being in charge and persuading other people to do things, leading them over that hill or out of that trench. In reality, it can be more subtle, and smaller in scale.

Everyday leadership emphasizes the significance of daily interactions. It might be making a tea or coffee for a colleague when they’re having a bad phone call, cleaning the office kitchen even though it’s “not your job”, giving a compliment to your desk buddy, or even just starting up a conversation. You can be a leader and make a difference in someone’s day without there being a quid pro quo and without having the ‘leader’ job title.

A simple act or conversation which makes a difference to someone, is just as powerful and shows just as much leadership as being the CEO, even for a day. Much like charisma, it's about making people feel supported and valued. Building strong relationships with your team fosters loyalty and commitment, leading to higher performance.

Everyday leadership and charisma share common principles.

Conclusion: An Important Skill

The modern workplace can be a hectic, stressful place where time is at a premium and managers don’t always focus on their people. Great leadership, and as we’ve seen today, charismatic leadership stands out as a timeless skill that can really make a difference to the day-to-day experiences and quality of your team’s life at work; not to mention your own performance and results as a leader-manager.

It's not just about being charming; it's about building genuine connections and inspiring others to be their best selves. Recognising these underlying principles and building those skills, both as leaders and followers, is essential. So, let's harness the power of authenticity and charisma for the greater good!

Thank you for joining me on this exploration of charisma in leadership. I hope you found it useful! If you’re like me and have always maintained a healthy skepticism on this topic, then I really do recommend giving this a listen:  Ep.73: The Double-Edge of Charisma in Leadership - it might just change your perspective.

If you'd like to delve deeper into this topic or have any questions, please feel free to reach out (details below!).

Be a Leader, Not a Boss!

David

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