The Value of Charisma
Think of a charismatic leader — John F Kennedy, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Ronald Reagan, Nelson Mandela, … Chances are you picture someone who has a positive impact on you; someone who leaves you feeling good.
For these four political figures, it is perhaps easy to appreciate how their positive mood and positively expressed emotions had a positive impact on their followers. But how does developing happy followers correlate with business productivity and success?
In a Monitor on Psychology article Amir Erez of the University of Florida discussed how successful leaders may well unconsciously, and sometimes consciously, influence the emotional side of their subordinates.
According to his research, leaders who were rated most charismatic tended to smile and laugh more. Furthermore, their positive mood seemed to spread through the group. Consequently, Erez found that leaders who were rated as more charismatic had followers who were happier as well, as compared to followers of lower “charisma” rated leaders.
Erez hypothesized that people follow leaders like Kennedy because “they make us feel happy and happiness is like a drug.” Consequently, we want more of it and continue following the leader as long as the drug keeps working.
Applying these ideas to business is complicated. Happy employees could be less productive because they aren’t under pressure to perform. On the other hand, a high performing leader who expects her employees to perform to the fullest of their capabilities and sets high standards, could also foster an environment where people are treated with respect, “work hard and play hard.”
Furthermore, the employees are recognized for their efforts and generally feel happy and energized through their boss’s appreciation — who, incidentally, smiles, laughs and engages them.
Leaders who are not engaging and don’t smile or laugh yet demand that their employees perform may get compliance but certainly won’t gain commitment. Additionally, any success will probably be short lived because people will only follow that kind of leader for so long before they either jump ship or sink it through sabotage or neglect.
So, what’s the take-away from this?
If you ask any successful salesperson, they will tell you that assuming equivalent products or services then you need to appeal to the emotional side of your prospect’s mind. A skilled salesperson develops a good relationship with their prospects, winning them over through shared happiness.
As an executive, you always have to remember that you are on stage. Therefore, make the effort to not just be all business and constantly serious. When you walk into the office tomorrow, remind yourself that you are walking onto a stage: smile, laugh and engage your employees. That will increase the odds that they will want to follow you and so work harder for you.
