8 Steps to Charismatic Leadership

by Phil Gerbyshak on September 29th, 2008

Note: This is a guest post from @Stephen, editor of Business Development in Context and a co-founder of the work.life.creativity forum. You can follow him on Twitter at @hdbb_stephen.

Defining Leadership

When we think of successful leaders we often think of businessmen and political figures that are in the news. In your own field, you can probably name a handful of men and women who are successful leaders - people with vision and the ability to communicate that vision in order to inspire others. Leadership is defined by your own personality and level of response-ability. Successful leaders are able to define their goals, persuade others to join them in achieving that goal, and lead their teams to success. But what would you say is the definition of leadership?

Leadership involves more than one person

There is no single definition of leadership. Understanding the different facets of leadership is the first step toward becoming an effective leader. Some common traits of successful and effective leaders include:

A leader is the appointed head of a group, team or organization.
A leader is a charismatic individual who is ableto make good decisions and inspire others to work toward a common goal.
A leader has the power to communicate clearly and assertively.
A leader has the ability to influence others in a positive way.

No single definition is more “right” or more important than any of the others. Leadership is defined by your own personality and level of response-ability, that is, your ability to respond to people and events in a manner that leads to a successful communication or resolution. One thing that all of the definitions have in common, however, is that successful leadership involves more than one person.

Trust makes you a leader

One cannot be a leader without a group of people following your direction and putting their trust in you. As a leader you have a responsibility to your employees, group, organization or team tolead them fairly and ethically. Having a title such as “Boss”, “Manager” or “Director” does not automatically confer upon you the abilities of a leader. To be a successful leader, you will need to constantly hone your skills by keeping up with the latest practices and by observing other successful leaders - both in your organization and in the news. You also need to have the humility to know that your own style of leadership will change as you gain experience and broaden your horizons.

Tip: Keep up on the latest leadership trends (not fads!) by reading trade publications, watching the news, and observing successful leaders in your own personal network.

The qualities of the successful leader

As we discussed above, a leader is someone who inspires, who makes decisions that affect the group in a positive way, and who can pull together a team with diverse skill sets to achieve a common goal. But if being a manager does not make one a leader, what does? Charisma is a quality that many people use to describe a successful leader, and it is often mistaken as a quality that one is born with. However, the true answer is deeper than that - and you can develop a charismatic leadership style if you develop the following fundamental skills:

Knowledge - Know your stuff. A successful leader must know the details of the business in order to direct the team toward the organization’s goals.
Trust - If you want something done right, train someone how to do it and put them in charge of it. Then let them go. Don’t micromanage your team. If you have trained them properly, they will do the right thing.
Integrity - An organization will soon learn to work around a “leader” who is not trustworthy or does not keep their word.
Decisiveness - A leader is valued for their ability to make a decision, especially in high-pressure situations. Combining Knowledge and Integrity are essential to being able to make the correct decision.
Assertiveness - Leaders are often chosen or appointed to direct a team, group, or organization. A successful leader understands that they represent the interests of the team members as well as the macro-interests of the entire team, and that leader will stand up for the members who have put their trust in their leader.
Optimism - Be realistic but confident. Your employees and your own leaders will lose faith and confidence in you if your attitude is pessimistic or negative. As a leader it is your job to manage less-than-perfect situations and turn them around. Figure it out and concentrate on the positive aspects.
Results - Keep track of the solid decisions and successful outcomes that you have been responsible for. This record is something you can point to when a leadership opportunity comes your way, as well as something that you can look at to build or restore your own confidence in the tough times.
Vision - As a leader you are expected to set goals that guide your team or organization in a specefic direction, the “preferred future”. You must be able to think broadly and make strategic actions part of your daily routine. This will help your team to grow in the right direction for success.

What is your leadership style?

What do you think? Is charisma something that you are born with - or is it a quality that you can develop? Leave a comment, start a discussion.

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