Charismatic Leadership: 6 Qualities of Charismatic Leaders
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jan 24, 2022 • 2 min read
Charismatic leadership is a type of leadership that involves being naturally personable, empathetic, and inspiring to others who believe in you.
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What Is Charismatic Leadership?
Charismatic leadership describes a type of leader who can motivate and influence others with their personality and charm. A charismatic leader can motivate, inspire, and encourage others using their strong communication skills and listening skills. Charismatic leaders might appear to be natural leaders who are comfortable in their own skin and can confidently manage a team with a clear vision.
6 Qualities of Charismatic Leaders
A charismatic leadership style can require experience and practice. Business leaders can improve by learning and applying the following characteristics of a charismatic leader in their own leadership role:
- 1. Adaptability: Strong leadership skills include the ability to adapt to and be resilient in new situations while keeping an eye on the big picture. The charismatic style of leadership involves a type of person who tends to be risk-taking yet strategic and can confidently make quick, high-performance decisions that result in positive changes.
- 2. Authenticity: A charismatic leader is present, aware, and authentic. Clarity, straight-forwardness, and honesty are critical for any leader.
- 3. Body language: The way a leader presents themself can play a large part in how people perceive them, and body language is crucial to this. A good leader will want to practice making eye contact when talking or listening to people to help them feel noticed and important. Leaders should consider how their physical presence makes others feel, and they should try to display self-confidence.
- 4. Emotional intelligence: The best leaders in the business world have a high level of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills that enable them to connect with their team on an emotional level. Traits of an emotionally intelligent leader include empathy, a positive attitude, creativity, and self-awareness, as well as good problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
- 5. Great communication skills: One of the most important qualities in charismatic leaders is the ability to listen to your team and share information with them, which will build trust and get buy-in during times when you are trying to use persuasiveness. It’s important to find opportunities to communicate to others what your vision is and what type of leader you are going to be.
- 6. Recognition: To nurture thriving, productive team members, a charismatic leader will boost morale through recognition. Highlight your team’s contributions, one person at a time, so that people feel you value their hard work. This increases engagement and productivity, and it deepens your workers’ connection to your leadership and to the brand.
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