Charisma. The word and the concept have always intrigued me for reasons that I think will become clear as you read along. Beginning a piece like this, one is almost obligated to first seek out the definition and the etymological history of the word in a starring role. So, “a compelling attractiveness that can inspire devotion” or “a divinely conferred gift.” It’s derived from the Greek word Kharisma which suggests that the latter definition is rooted in Greek mythology’s complex dealings between humans and their gods.
When I read Max Weber’s discussion of charismatic leadership in graduate school, my worldly experience was paper thin, but as I worked under leaders with different styles of exercising power and control and even later when I found myself in positions of leadership the concept became central to assessing my own performance. I became acutely aware that my own style was distinctly uncharismatic. I was a collaborator and colleague, uncomfortable centering myself as the wielder of power, perhaps not possessing the qualities that made charismatic leadership an option in any case.
There’s so much about me that is anti-charismatic. First, I’m short. Yes, there’s Napoleon, but American presidents and successful business leaders tend to be taller than average. I don’t have a shock of hair to flaunt like Gavin Newsom. I’m not a compelling speaker. I’m much better in writing than at the lectern. If I had one wish, it would be for the gods to have bestowed on me the voice and capacity to compel audiences. As a school director, I was required to address the school community on many occasions, including at commencement. I felt that my audience was hungry for inspiration. Most of the families of my students had been brought up in the Black church with its tradition of powerful oratory. I tend to be soft-spoken (and even more so now that age has shaved even more decibels off my voice) and tethered to my text, for fear of losing my way.
So, the question is: can one still be an effective leader in the absence of those charismatic qualities? The answer is a qualified yes. I mentioned before that I valued collaboration over control. Looking back over my leadership positions, Ialmost always hada partner, a co-director in spirit if not in name. That partner often had some of the qualities that I lacked and to whom I could defer when that skill was needed.
That more collaborative/cooperative style draws two contrasting reactions. For some it fosters a sense of community and encourages people to exercise their voices. For others who are more comfortable operating under a leader with a strong and decisive voice, a charismatic leader provides a sense of security and clarity about the mission of the organization and their role in it. It seemed to me that people in the latter group saw my style as weak leadership, not as an invitation to be part of a more democratic organization.
How do organizations with charismatic leadership fare when their leader departs? Often, they struggle. When the energy that fuels an organization flows from the personality of the founder, it’s likely that there hasn’t been enough of the dirt-under- your-fingernails effort to build the internal structures that assure the organization’s longevity. It’s inspiring to see charisma at work, but too often charismatic leadership doesn’t translate into programs with strong bones that are built for durability.I remember watching a much-acclaimed school unravel when its creative founder moved on. Around the same time, I watched my successor at the charter school where I was the founding director take advantage of the inherited structures and culture and move the school to a level of success beyond anything I had achieved during my tenure.
Let me get a jump on my critics by acknowledging that we can point to the rare charismatic leaders who, unencumbered by crippling narcissism and equipped with a strong moral compass, were able to build organizations that continued to evolve and flourish even beyond their founders’ time. I’d love to hear your nominations for that select category.
On the positive side, charisma enables leaders to initiate something new that would never have gotten off the ground without the leader’s “compelling” attractiveness. On the other hand, charisma can have a hypnotic effect on followers that a leader can use for nefarious purposes. However much I may revile the destructiveness and inhumanity that characterize Trump’s work, I will admit that he is a powerful charismatic presence, capable of convincing his followers to follow wherever he leads. There are so many others, dictators with flair, that occupied center stage for a historic minute. I think I’ve come full circle from regretting the absence of charisma in my makeup to an awareness of the downside of those qualities the Greeks revered. There are other ways to make good things happen in the hands of an unflamboyant leader with solid principles and a deep respect for those he or she has been chosen to lead. I think I’ve convinced myself that, colorful or not, I did my best with the hand I had been dealt.
