Leadership built on charisma is not uncommon. History knows many such examples. Armed with his special ability to influence others, independence and eye-catching features, a charismatic leader enters the masses. The features of his special character are always visible from childhood, and by paying attention to them in time, you can direct a person in the right direction.
Concept
Charismatic leadership is a special form of exceptional and gifted influence on other people through their personal appeal. With a beautiful appearance, this attraction rarely has anything in common. A charismatic leader may be too short, have a big nose, or even be hunchbacked. But even with all this, he attracts people with something special, something that no one else has, this is the very charisma that we are talking about. Thanks to her, he receives universal support and recognition.
Qualities of a charismatic leader
In the pursuit of leadership, people often resort to thoughts of discovering the makings of charisma in themselves. Then it arisesthe question of what traits a charismatic leader has.
Firstly, it is complete confidence in what he says and thinks. His judgments may be absurd, incorrect, but he sincerely believes in them, which makes everyone around believe in them. Such people speak confidently even that the earth is actually flat.
Secondly, this is a vision of perspectives. Where others do not see an opportunity to succeed or win, a charismatic leader sees. Without this vision there would not have been many military escapes. A vivid example of this, Napoleon Bonaparte, he clearly understood when and whom to attack. But confidence in his limitless strength eventually led him to defeat.
Thirdly, this is the ability to captivate others with your ideas. For these purposes, leaders use oratory, persuasion and clarification. After that, many begin to accept the ideas of such a leader as their own.
Fourthly, this is dedication to your work and idea. Such people do not run even when the ship is sinking. They are not afraid to take risks, and even if in the end the ship goes into the depths of the sea, they, as leaders, will take full responsibility.
Fifth, this is non-standard behavior. Sometimes they behave in ways that social norms forbid. They are reformers, pioneers. Among such leaders is the famous fashion designer Coco Chanel. When everyone around her wore puffy dresses and pulled herself into uncomfortable corsets, she was not afraid to dress like a man. She was laughed at, she was predicted to fail, but instead, she gained success, popularity and eternal glory.
Sixth, it is the ability to energize. It doesn't matter if it is positive or negative, they radiate it, feed it all around. Being close to this or that person, sometimes you feel that he really helps to cheer up just by his presence. This is a clear sign that a person has charisma.
In addition, such personalities often have a special bewitching appearance. She may not meet the standards of beauty of this time, but is recognized by everyone impeccably. In a sense, they are actors who know how to amuse the audience, and when necessary, even make them cry. If they did not have these skills, they would be just another gray unit of society.
Types of charismatic leaders
All leaders can conditionally be divided into several types:
- Leader performer. He does not bring any idea to the masses and does not prove his case. He takes on the execution of already given programs and successfully copes with this. This provides him with such recognition of society.
- Inspirational leader. Here we are talking about the idea. He offers the masses a new program of behavior, which he personally developed. Thanks to his ability to persuade, he gets what he wants.
- Leader-authority. He takes the masses with the help of universal respect. People find in him what deserves this very respect, and follow him. At the same time, he himself can be both a performer and an inspirer.
Characteristic pattern of government
Charismatic political leaders deserve special attention. As if according to the classics of the genre, charisma leads people to power, and as a result they become rulers. But here it is more appropriate to say that many rulers have charisma, but not all. History knows rulers who not only did not receive respect and recognition, but did not even leave at least some memory behind them.
Assume that state Z is led by a charismatic leader. Such a state is always united. At the same time, the ruler does not resort to military force and his position. The people follow him of their own free will. For such a country, it will be characteristic that its population does not like revolutions, protests, does not migrate to other states.
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great, the great king and commander, born in 356, is a real charismatic leader. It is difficult to say what exactly made his charisma so inspiring, what was given to him from birth, or studying with such great teachers as Lysimachus and Aristotle. At the age of 16, he already ascended the throne and, despite his young age, quickly earned the respect of the people and his soldiers. As a commander, he conquered almost all of Asia Minor and even Egypt, where Alexandria was founded.
Joseph Stalin
The charismatic leader of the Soviet Union, with all his severity, toughness and temper, was able to elevate his rule to the rank of a real cult. His mind, along with manners, delighted everyone around so much that few wanted to rebel against his ruthless executions. He received his power without ascending to an important state position, he received it thanks to the authority that he enjoyed among the people.
Adolf Hitler
Hitler, in contrast to Stalin, had his own charisma, and replenished the piggy bank, called "not the best examples of charismatic leaders." But, nevertheless, he managed to go so far in realizing his ambitions that he was rewarded with a whole nation of assistants, followers and puppets. The secret of his success is that he firmly believed in the idea of his superhuman leadership abilities.
Can charisma be cultivated?
Many people naively believe that charismatic leaders are born. In fact, many of these people had poor diction in childhood and suffered ridicule from their peers. No one could even think how the once quiet and completely gray people could eventually turn out to be people blinding everyone around. This is facilitated by an unfavorable environment or simply a desire to change your life once and for all. If you are one of those people, here are a few tips:
- Never listen to other people's opinions. You can't achieve anything by listening to someone yelling at your back that you won't succeed. Set goals and go for them, even if no one believes in you. But at the same time, you should not go too far and become a “ram” instead of the leader.
- Don't be afraid to fail. Even the most famous winners endured them. Defeat is only an experience, nothing more.
- Don't stand still, keep evolving. The mind must always be in motion. Engage in the study of foreign languages, painting, history, chemistry.
- Help people. This is how respect is earned. But everything should come from a good heart, and not from selfish motives.
