Profound Leadership Is Not Charisma

In 2006, I wrote a book titled The Manager As Motivator. The subtitle I asked the publisher for, but which wasn’t granted, was “Tools For ‘Noncharismatic’ Leaders”. Charisma, I think, is just an idea that is too attractive, too desirable, too sexy if you will, for a publisher or most leaderwannabe’s to throw shade on.

The first chapter of the book talked about how charisma is overrated and that a leader doesn’t have to have it to be highly motivating. It’s not “the leadership panacea it is often cracked up to be. An excellent motivator doesn’t need it. Sometimes it causes more harm than benefit” (p. 5), I said at the time. I believed that then and I believe it now. I went on to say:

“Charisma thrives on crisis, and sometimes leaders create calamity just to play the hero. Such leaders may polarize rather than build consensus. What happens when the crisis goes away?” (p. 5)

The idea for a book about leadership that doesn’t depend upon charisma came to me on an airplane. This is how I described it:

“…sitting next to a young man dressed very corporately—nice, neatly pressed white shirt and tie—and obviously quite serious about his work. I asked how he motivates his employees. He told me he wasn’t a charismatic leader, wasn’t the kind of person with a lot of ‘personality,’ and didn’t naturally inspire people. He was, however, very successful. His employees achieved significant goals regularly, he had moved up the organizational ladder quickly, and he was now in charge of an entire region. That made me curious” (p. 10).

Curious enough to write a book that, explicitly, made the case that one can be highly motivating without being charismatic.

Charisma in itself is not a bad quality to have. Who wouldn’t want to be able to inspire people with a magnetic personality? Yet, following a charismatic leader in any arena should proceed with eyes wide open. Charisma can breed hubris – an arrogance that takes followers for granted, that reinforces a leader's vanity or in its extreme even megalomania (See Adolf Hitler, and others of his ilk). Charisma can be superficial, depending on the facile or artificial rather the substance of leadership. Charisma, again, thrives on crisis and not the steady, long-term, discipline, practices, and progress that it takes to build lasting success in any endeavor.

Charisma in itself is not a bad quality to have, if the person who has it also has the virtues of love for others, humility, generosity, and sacrifice, and makes the effort to continually build depth of character and wisdom. If.

And only if.

Charisma in itself is not a bad quality to have, and profound leaders might have it – but it is not required. Many of the most effective leaders are people we have never heard of, who never made an inspiring speech, and who spend their time quietly moving important matters forward by motivating and supporting others in the accomplishment of something meaningful, for which they may or may not ever receive any recognition at all.

Charisma is not necessary and it certainly isn’t sufficient to be a profound leader.

Reference

Kroth, M. S. (2006). The manager as motivator . Westport, Conn.: Praeger.