CHARISMA Part 3
Since charisma is important to people in leadership roles, it makes sense to start there. But, before we continue, there is one important point to be made. In part 1 and 2 we discussed how charisma can be used to help or control people. The examples we celebrate are those of leadership, not authority…
“I sell the things you need to be
I’m the smiling face on your T.V.
I’m the cult of personality
I exploit you still you love me”
“Cult of Personality” by Living Colour
Songwriters: William Calhoun / Corey Glover / Vernon Alphonsus Reid / Muzz Skillings
Cult of Personality lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Some of the traits most common in these examples include maturity, humility, compassion, and confidence. However, you’ll also notice exceptions, where some traits are clearly stronger in some and non-existent in others.
Charisma in the…
Educator Mindset: Plato (c. 428 – 348 B.C.) possessed charisma that seemed to have sprung from an intense curiosity about almost everything. At least, it certainly seems that way from his dialogues. Best known as a philosopher, he was also a charismatic teacher, willing to impart everything he knew to anyone who shared his curiosity.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”
― Plato
Warrior Mindset: John Dean “Jeff” Cooper was a United States Marine and firearms instructor. He was highly educated, conveyed clever anecdotes, and came up with memorable quotes while teaching combat readiness. He also developed the “Cooper color code” for combat readiness, which became a vehicle for delivering his charismatic leadership.
“The golf course is a willful and deliberate misuse of a perfectly good rifle range!”
— Jeff Cooper
Entertainer Mindset: In terms of charisma (and to be a little nerdy) this was the only time that The Beatles were “off the charts”. Seriously, they were gushing with charisma from the perspective of a teenage girl but, not so much from the perspective of their parents. It was fun to include these guys in the mix because of the strong dichotomy between age groups.
If your career involves corporate leadership and you’re interested in digging deeper, there are indicators of charisma from Myers-Briggs and Jung assessments that you might find interesting. Irrespective of your background, there are certainly examples of charisma that suits you! Good luck!