A recent conversation with a client got me thinking about charismatic leaders. We spoke about how we each define charisma. For me, there’s an interesting distinction between how you show up as a charismatic leader (often understood as having an outgoing, engaging personality) and the impact that your charismatic style has on the people around you (how they feel in your presence).
Many believe that charisma is an essential quality of a successful leader.
But the more important question is do we define charisma as innate personality traits (often unchangeable) or as what you inspire in people, which with awareness and intention can be built? Or perhaps, a bit of both?
When you think about charisma, it’s easy to name a few typically charismatic leaders such as Martin Luther King, Elon Musk, Michelle Obama, Nelson Mandela and there are many more. What sets them apart?
Charisma can be defined as certain qualities in an individual, such as natural magnetism, charm, easy communication, and persuasive abilities.
While charisma can appear as highly engaging and passionate, it can, in some cases, come across as shallow or even disingenuous. Maybe a bit like more talk than action.
That’s why we need to make a key distinction here, between the charismatic nature you project versus how you make others feel about themselves in your presence.
Charisma, when used powerfully comes from the way you make others feel about themselves and how people are motivated to act, as a result.
When we talk about charismatic leaders, we often think about the natural charm and engaging communication skills they display. These qualities, sometimes more readily associated with extroverted personalities, naturally draw people to them and their business approach.
We can see this in Microsoft’s previous CEO, Steve Ballmer, who is known for his outgoing nature and extroverted personality. However, Adam Hartung, a Forbes columnist, described Ballmer as ‘one of the worst CEO of a larger publicly traded American company’ due to the lack of growth in share price throughout his period of leadership.
This is a prime example of personality magnetism falling short. What, in this case, would have been more valuable than an outgoing nature? Perhaps, more of a focus on leading people and creating a culture where his team strives to perform a clear vision for the company and motivate others to perform, which is the exact approach Satya Nadella, current CEO of Microsoft, has taken.
Nadella, a quieter personality put his key focus on turning the company culture around and the results (share price) show it. Nadella is known to say that successful leaders generate energy amongst their team and proactive culture.
Leaders are successful by inspiring people and creating a work culture that supports growth and collaboration, with charisma or without!
The misconception is that charisma is showing how great you are in front of others when it really is about how great others feel in your presence.
By embracing the power of listening and creating a proactive culture where collaboration is key, you become a leader who inspires yourself, your people, and your business to greatness.
This understanding makes charisma a skill that leaders can develop, whether you’re introverted, extroverted or anything in between.
What do you think?
If you would like to explore your levels of charismatic leadership and impact then let’s talk.