The Confident Charismatic Leader

This piece on the Charismatic Leader is part I of our 12-part series on the different leadership styles. You can check out October’s Monthly Huddle to get a general overview and follow along each week as we explore them in-depth. 

Charming, persuasive, and with an uncanny ability to work a room, the charismatic leader is a force of nature when it comes to motivating their team. With a vision and a platform, they can make just about anyone fall in line with gusto. 

What Defines a Charismatic Leader?

The key to bringing out the best in a charismatic leader is organizing chaos or fixing a fundamental problem within the business. They want to be recognized for their accomplishments and will work tirelessly to showcase what they can do. 

Personality

Much like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi, both of whom are considered some of history’s most extraordinary charismatic personalities, charismatic business leaders are dynamic and high-energy. They thrive in situations where they can bring “radical” changes with measurable results. 

They are certainly the most confident of the leadership styles, hardly ever questioning whether the values they believe in are correct. Charismatic leaders are bullheadedly unwavering in their pursuit of the final goal, and they do an excellent job of ensuring each team member is eagerly doing the same. 

This leadership type enjoys being a mentor or role model, as they often believe there is a prescribed formula for success. When others succeed by following that formula, a charismatic leader feels validated in their rigidity. 

These factors differentiate them from transformational leaders, who focus less on emotion and more on business processes. 

Decision-Making

There is no second-guessing when a charismatic leader makes a decision. They are skilled at quick thinking, deftly crafting clear paths forward with little thought for what could go wrong. 

Charismatic leaders march forward with the confidence of knowing that no matter what happens along the way to the final goal, they’ll tackle it with ease. 

Situations Where Charismatic Leaders Thrive

There are particular business settings and circumstances where a charismatic leader feels most at home:

• There is room for risk. Charismatic leaders love making big moves, so when trying something new, they care more about the possibilities than the consequences. 

• They have a rapt audience. This leadership style needs people to coach and motivate. Without an audience, they may feel unfulfilled in their role or like their charm is ineffective in their goal to enact change. Both challenges can force a charismatic leader to seek a different workplace culture. 

• Teams are eager and ready to change. A charismatic leader will struggle if their team doesn’t want to change. They are much better when the employees are dissatisfied with the culture, process, or practices, and they are looking for a new route to accomplish their goals. 

Wrap Up: The Pros and Cons of Charismatic Leadership

Despite their “best intentions” attitude, charismatic leaders aren’t always the answer. Just like any other leadership style, you have to weigh the pros against the cons:

Pros

• Eager, motivating, and inspiring
• Loves collaboration and teamwork. Will often seek ways to bring people together outside of the workplace to increase trust and encourage bonding. 
• Are highly attuned to the emotions of their employees and have an open-door policy for discussing concerns. 
• Effective at bringing about change that benefits the business and the clients. 

Cons

• Because of their stubborn confidence, charismatic leaders can be viewed as self-centered or narcissistic. 
• Too much of a good thing, like an enthusiastic good mood, isn’t always a good thing. Their tendency to constantly seek optimistic solutions and shut down others’ negative feelings can make their employees feel invalidated. 
• Often, the consequences of their risk-taking affect the business as a whole, and they are left cleaning up the mess while the charismatic leader prepares for their next big idea.