Charismatic leadership: impression management and the risks of abuse

Charismatic Leadership

What is Charismatic Leadership?

A leader is deemed to be charismatic, if he or she is charming and highly persuasive. For one to be an effective charismatic leader, he or she must not only be highly persuasive, but also committed to the vision towards which, he is leading the organization. For this reason, charismatic leaders have to be effective communicators with the ability to communicate at a deep and emotional level with their audiences. Like all other strong leaders, charismatic leaders have to come out strong during times of crisis, so as to steer their followers in the right direction (Yukl, 2010; Conger & Kanungo, 2006).

Meaning of the Statement that Charismatic Leaders Use Active Impression Management with their Followers to Support their Image. Provide and Elaborate on One Example

When communicating with a subordinate, a charismatic leader focuses his whole attention on the individual, making him feel as if he or she is the most important individual to the leader. Charismatic leaders can easily read situations, and have an eye for picking up the concerns or the moods of their followers. After picking up the moods, they carefully choose their words and actions to fit the situations at hand (CONGER, KANUNGO & MENON, 2000). Such leaders often use their skills to manage their image as powerful, influential and down-to-earth individuals. Charismatic leaders also show confidence in their subordinates and can use words and actions to convince followers to do what they want (Conger & Kanungo, 2006).

For one to see charismatic leadership, he or she has to simply look at leading politicians. This is because for one to be successful at politics, he or she has to be charismatic. Religious leaders, too, are charismatic. For one to learn how to be more charismatic, he or she should learn the body language of being charismatic and watch videos of how charismatic leaders interact with their audiences. This can help them learn how to strongly identify with their followers, so as to establish a strong image of themselves (CONGER et al., 2000).

Ronald Wilson Reagan is an example of a charismatic leader. Born in 1911, Reagan became a popular actor after signing a seven-year movie contract in 1937 with Warner Brothers. During the 1950s, Reagan's political views changed from liberal to conservative. Reagan ran for presidency from as early as 1968, and finally won in 1980. As a president, he communicated his political vision in manners that charmed his followers. Together with John F. Kennedy and Teddy Roosevelt, Reagan is known as one of the most charismatic American presidents of the 20th century (Bell, 2013).

Why Charismatic Leadership is Considered a Double-Edged Sword that Requires Careful Monitoring to Avert Abuse?

Charisma Dilutes Judgment: force, reason, or charm are the only three means of actually manipulating others. While reason and force are both rational, charm is not. Charm is solely based on emotional manipulation (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2012).

Charisma is Addictive: leaders that are able to charm their followers get addicted to their affection, diverting them from their actual goals. On the contrary, followers get addicted to the charisma of their leaders. The outcome of this is a reciprocal dependence. Charismatic leaders normally stay deluded even after their followers have woken up (Chamorro-Premuzic, 2012; Yukl, 2010).