We’ve all had that ONE manager.
They walk into the room and they command attention. At the monthly town hall, they know everyone’s name and take the time to chat with employees, asking specific questions about their families and their lives. This person stands in front of the room, addresses the audience, and everyone leaves feeling motivated and inspired to do better.
This leader’s personality inspires you to want to work harder for the organization. After they stop in your office, you are more confident in your performance because they exude self-confidence. You are more connected to the organization’s culture and core values because this person serves as a walking, talking example of those values.
You’re working with a charismatic leader.
The charismatic leader in your organization is the visionary. They are your talented communicator with the ability to speak meaningfully with every member of the organization, regardless of title. And although your charismatic leaders can be perceived as immovable and assertive with their opinions, they are still acutely aware of others’ emotions, feelings and reactions, and can adjust appropriately to still get the best out of your people. They take their responsibility as a leader for ALL employees very seriously.
Not all styles work for all people. For example, a laissez-faire leader won’t be well received in a company made up of people who thrive with structure and discipline, but there could be some benefit to finally having a manager who isn’t so strict all the time.
On the other side of the coin, a bureaucratic leader could prove challenging when working with an innovative team that prefers to think outside of the box – especially since bureaucratic leaders function “by the book” and follow established policies and procedures. However, if a team is chaotic and needs direction, the bureaucratic manager may be the person to get the group focused and organized in meeting business goals.
Each leadership style has its supporters and its detractors with opinions about the level of effectiveness. Generally speaking, democratic leadership is more favored and effective among teams than authoritarian leadership. Regardless of where one stands on their opinion of the charismatic leadership style, some of the most prominent political leaders, activists and celebrities have achieved a position of influence based on their personality, self-confidence and charisma. Having a charismatic person in a key leadership position can provide immense value to your organization.
1. They have PRESENCE
As stated above, the charismatic leader walks into a room and commands attention. They naturally possess healthy confidence and self-esteem. They know what they add to a room without arrogance. Additionally, when they speak to individuals, the charismatic leader transfers that same level of confidence and self-esteem to the speaker by actively listening and being present in the conversation.
They make the other person feel important; in fact, they make everyone feel important. They aren’t busy thinking about the next thing to say, but rather, they are honed in on the speaker. There is incredible value in having someone in a leadership role with the ability to make every member of the organization feel important, regardless of status or position in the company.
The charismatic leader also has a unique humility which enhances their relatability across demographics and can be the person that gets done things across disparate business units by leveraging their unique people skills to get people working in sync rather than against each other.
2. They are MASTER COMMUNICATORS
Your charismatic leader is an adept public speaker and individual communicator. They can serve as an excellent brand ambassador for your company because of their unique ability to get their message across in a way that resonates with a diverse audience. Their ability to convey key messages to one person or a million people is an asset. People respond to a charismatic person’s message because they mean every word. The charismatic manager can deliver difficult messages to an organization and individuals with efficacy and empathy.
Also, charisma in networking events is key for building business connections, along with prospecting and closing new business. With their mastery of communication skills, the charismatic leader can connect with anyone socially, regardless of the situation. Charismatic leaders are able to quickly build genuine connections with those around them, which is essential to creating a book of business and expanding brand awareness.
3. They demonstrate EMOTIONAL CONTROL
Some leaders are prone to take things personally. The charismatic leader is in tune with their emotions, and although they may be personally affected by the things around them, they don’t respond in an emotional way. They are mindful of the emotions of those around them and can react appropriately and mindfully.
Having such a self-aware leader is key in avoiding unnecessary conflicts among team members or HR complaints. Although the leader who is prone to charisma may demonstrate their emotions, they aren’t reactive with their feelings and when they are emotive, it is meant to unify rather than divide. The charismatic leader may be a tornado of emotions internally, but their power is in that the people around them see them as the calm in the storm.
4. They are INNOVATORS
If you want to push your company out of its comfort zone and introduce innovative products or ideas into the market, you hire a charismatic leader. They thrive in environments where they are challenged to make things better. They are driven to leave things better than they found them, and they can influence other people in the organization to get behind their cause.
Your charismatic leader is the pioneer who possesses the drive and tenacity to push themselves and their team to push the boundaries and meet the ambitious change goals. Even when faced with obstacles, the charismatic leader is confident enough to overcome them, leveraging their ability to communicate and to remain even-keeled in the pursuit of organizational and personal goals.
5. They are CULTURE CREATORS AND BUILDERS
Because of their communication skills, relationship building acumen and propensity for innovation, the charismatic leader is the first to buy into company culture and encourage everyone else to jump on the culture bandwagon with them. They invest immediately into the core values and culture while being confident of their role in the bigger picture, so others are motivated to follow in their footsteps.
When the culture of a company seems out of their colleagues’ reach, a charismatic leader is able to make the values and culture relatable for the employee who is having a hard time connecting to the company on a deeper level.
The advantages of charismatic leadership are evident. Employees are engaged and want to stay with a company whose leaders demonstrate charisma. A workplace environment that welcomes innovators and culture builders creates a learning culture where employees know they have the opportunity to grow and develop.
If innovative ideas are accepted when they come from one person, other people will feel encouraged and confident in bringing forward their own new and innovative approaches. When a team feels motivated, inspired, encouraged, heard by someone in charge, and know where they stand, they are more productive.
The key to any leadership theory and the ability for any leader to work with a team is their ability to understand the diverse communication styles that exist within an organization. Whether it be a strong management development program, culture building exercises or understanding your teams’ DISC profiles, Red Clover can help your team leverage strengths to move the business forward.
Written by – Eric Mochnacz
Learn more about Eric on LinkedIn!
