While reading about charisma, all I kept thinking about was whether or not I know someone who matches the numerous definitions. The common themes of “the charismatic individual’s ability to attract attention, to communicate effectively, and to affect followers at an emotional level” seem to create a picture that is some how very explicit, yet elusive (Riggio 3). Charisma, without a clear definition, has a connotation of unattainability for the average person in my mind. To have enthusiasm and to be self-confident and responsive to others, amongst the other characteristics common to charismatic individuals, alone as qualities is not rare. But, for one to possess each trait in a combination that results in someone being attractive, in more ways than one, to large groups of people seems to call for the stars to align perfectly. And beyond simply being charismatic, to be a charismatic leader calls for even more situational aspects to unfold perfectly to develop.
The ideas of elusiveness surrounding charismatic leadership echoed many of the ideas surrounding the Great Person Theory, specifically the nature versus nurture argument. Within the Great Man Theory, I highly agree that a leader is made in part due to their situation. For example, the text by David Cawthon points to Martin Luther King and what his career would have turned out to be without the Civil Rights Movement. Would he have “remained an obscure minister in the South” (Cawthon)? This similarly themed question could be asked on the topic of charismatic leaders as well. Without an interaction between the followers and the charismatic leader, would all charismatic characteristics emerge? Riggio suggests that the answer to this question would be “no”, as he references twin studies by Richard Arvey that suggest leadership in general is “2/3 ‘made’ and 1/3 ‘born’” and points to a project performed by the University of California that effectively taught people to increase their natural charisma. Certainly, people are born with at least a few of the seven main characteristics associated with charisma. However, it seems clear to me that it would be easy to fake other unnatural traits in the public eye when no one can truly know the full story behind another individual. As we said in class, Barack Obama appears to be an incredibly eloquent speaker, but he could be puking back stage before and after the speech for all we know. Charisma, by lack of definition, has left me to still wonder if I have ever personally met an individual with such a power “divine gift of grace” (Cawthon).
I find it interesting how you tried to relate the readings to your life personally by thinking about the people you know and how they match to the “requirements” a charismatic person or leader is supposed to have. It is a good perspective in my opinion because some people do disagree on who is/was a good leader vs. a bad leader. I also like how you mentioned people having some qualities of charisma may not have been in the right circumstance to truly be charismatic and have all of the characteristics that are supposedly needed because I think that even having the ability to relate to other people’s emotions or to be able to communicate well makes someone more of a role model than someone who does not because in that case, it seems self explanatory. I guess to me it is more about how much charisma a person has rather than whether or not they flat out are or are not a charismatic person.
I think its really interesting how youre questioning a lot of the things that we talked about in class. I think that the importance of the situation in the development of charisma is great. Like you said about Martin Luther King Jr., if there hadn’t been the racial tension in America and the need for a leader would he have risen to the challenge and become one of the faces of the civil rights movement? Since he was born some of the qualities needed to be a charismatic leader, the situation made it so that he could grow as a leader.
I love how you connected this to the great many theory and brought up the question of nature vs. nurture, since the reading questioned if leaders are born or made. It brings up some interesting points as to see if charisma is something some people are born with or can some people learn it.
I did the same thing while reading this however, I could name a few people in my personal life who definitely possess these characteristics. At the same time, I do see your point about there needing to be situations to highlight these characteristics. My challenge to you would be to ask you, is the presence of these traits dependent on your knowledge of a person? What I mean by that is, what if these traits are very much present but just not as apparent. That doesn’t make a person any less charismatic instead just slightly less popular. The key piece here to me would be that charisma does not have to be found only infamous leaders.