Charisma in Leaders is a dangerous thing.

So what is your take on the research that says it is a predictor of success? Traits are traits, not tools. Behaviors are tools. Traits engender propensities for patterns of thought and behavior. People can learn to moderate those propensities especially by adopting certain behaviors. But they don't lose the trait. Comparing personality traits to money which is wholly and completely a physical thing outside of the body ignores the the last 50 years personality research.

To say charisma is a bad thing or a good thing is like saying money is good or bad. It just is what it is, and how it is used by leaders in situations can be functional or dysfunctional to the leader, the followers and/or the organization. All one has to do to see if charisma is dangerous or dysfunctional to society is study the past. Charismatic leaders such as Jim Jones (Jonestown Massacre), Adolf Hitler, Malcolm X, Marshal Applewhite (Heaven's Gate), David Koresh (Waco Massacre), and many others who are charismatic, but lead their "followers" into situations that are no longer about what is best for the followers, or the organization, but about themselves. Then there are the charismatic leaders who use their charisma for positive or functional purposes for society...Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Nelson Mandela, and many others who are charismatic, but use that charisma to draw people to causes that benefit humankind. Charisma is a tool, like any other leadership tool that us used to influence behavior. I think what we should look closer at is the leader's motives when considering charisma and being dangerous or not.

Interesting post, Jim. "Charisma is attributed." Yes, it is difficult to quantify. I am considering what other qualities audiences attribute to speaker/leaders that may also fall into this category. Motivational? (Maybe. There are scales to measure motivation. We might be able to do before/after measures.) Trustworthy? (Perhaps. But we can always check the veracity of the claims.) It's late & I'm out. No more for the "Tough to measure attributes" category. Thanks for poking my brain.

You might, Mercedes. But one trait is not sufficient, and each has its drawback. You have a lot of qualities that make for good leadership! Thanks for the comment.