WHY YOU MUST BE MORE CHARISMATIC
If you lead or manage people, and you want to achieve outstanding results, the thing you most need to develop is your leadership charisma.
Sadly, many managers I speak to just don’t believe they are capable of having charisma. Nor are they aware of the business benefits of charismatic leadership. That’s because they have completely the wrong idea about what charisma is, and how to achieve it.
I’ll bet you’ve met or seen charismatic people, and they’ve filled a room or stage with their presence, lighting up everyone around them, infecting them with enthusiasm and warmth. Those people have a huge presence. They radiate personality and strength. They have a cause and you can feel their passion for it. They focus on you with a laser-like intensity, and you feel suddenly like you are the most interesting and important person in the world. Their charisma is contagious, and long after they have left, you still feel the energy of their presence and enthusiasm.
You’re missing a major opportunity…
Oh no, not me, you say. I can’t be like that. So you don’t bother. And therein lies a major missed opportunity. If you were to try, and if you were to become just a little more charismatic, it could have a big impact on how people see you as a leader. In today’s world we need charisma more than ever.
Let me define what affective leadership charisma is. It is a special power that enables you to positively influence followers and inspire their commitment and willing devotion to a common cause. It is about bringing out the best in your followers, because they feel great about themselves.
This charisma is more about how you make others feel, rather than being about trying to influence how others feel about you. Is also much more focused on delivering great results, rather than delivering great reviews of your personal magnetism and charm.
This charisma is more about how you make others feel, rather than being about trying to influence how others feel about you. Is also much more focused on delivering great results, rather than delivering great reviews of your personal magnetism and charm.
Without realizing it, I have been studying charismatic leaders for more than 30 years now. I observed that the great ones often had very different kinds of charisma. Some were such authentic people that you just had to love them for their honesty, integrity and principles. Others had a knack of making me feel special and wanting to do better work. Some were so enthused with a purpose that it compelled me to help. Others had a magnetic leadership authority I had no choice but to follow. And others were such eloquent, passionate, persuasive people that I fell under their spell because they managed to connect me to what they wanted to do. Of course, there were those with anti-charisma as well. Smart bosses who managed to repel their followers and, sometimes, incite rebellion.
There are many kinds of charisma, and people have different shapes to their charisma
I have devoted the past 10 years of my life to helping leaders be more inspirational. While researching and writing three books, I have spoken to more than 120 CEOs, conducted various research projects among more than 10,000 managers and employees, and, over the past three years, searched out and devoured everything I could find on charisma.
I have found that there are many kinds of charisma, many different definitions of charisma, and many different ways that each of us can display charisma. And that’s part of the problem.
So, I’ve written a new book, due out within a few weeks, helping us come to a simple view about what charismatic leadership is, why it matters, and what we can do to be more so, and therefore more effective as leaders.
There are many kinds of charisma, and people have different shapes to their charisma
I have devoted the past 10 years of my life to helping leaders be more inspirational. While researching and writing three books, I have spoken to more than 120 CEOs, conducted various research projects among more than 10,000 managers and employees, and, over the past three years, searched out and devoured everything I could find on charisma.
I have found that there are many kinds of charisma, many different definitions of charisma, and many different ways that each of us can display charisma. And that’s part of the problem.
So, I’ve written a new book, due out within a few weeks, helping us come to a simple view about what charismatic leadership is, why it matters, and what we can do to be more so, and therefore more effective as leaders.
In the book you’ll learn why charisma is a vital asset in any organization, you will understand its essential components, know how to avoid the dark side of charisma and be able to measure and understand the shape of your own charisma in order to grow your charismatic presence. Using charisma effectively will help everyone perform at a high level. This book will show you how.
I can’t wait to get out there and speak about my findings, and I can’t wait for people to be able to read it and learn the skills that will make them so much more effective.
February 3 is publication date, says my publisher…
