Charismatic Authority
Tom Sheppard
The Skillful PM (TM) specializes in providing leadership to large ($10mm+) projects for US financial services companies.
(based on Chapter 1 of The Art of Project Management by Tom Sheppard)
? 2025 TheSkillfulPM.com
In a matrixed management environment, you have little to no positional authority.? In these projects, you must succeed or fail based on your expertise coupled with your personal leadership skills, and your charismatic authority.
Charismatic authority is your ability to inspire people to respect you and desire to do what you ask of them. You must both possess and project attributes, knowledge and abilities which inspire confidence. Your charismatic authority is based on your personal abilities, people skills, and expertise which inspire people to respect you and desire to do what you ask of them.
??????????? This is not to imply that to succeed you must transform yourself into some sort of Svengali who seduces, dominates or exploits people.? Rather, it means you must both possess and project attributes, knowledge and abilities which inspire confidence.? And you must be able to use and project them in ways which do not automatically threaten the authority and leadership of others.?
??????????? When you possess these leadership abilities, it is no small feat to exercise them without making others feel threatened.? Your natural confidence may come across as arrogance or aggressiveness.? Your proven performance may make others look bad by comparison.? All these factors may inspire some to resent, oppose and even undermine you personally and professionally.
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??????????? Charismatic authority is not some mystical power that you are either born with or you will never have it.? While it is true that some will never be able to muster even a spark of charismatic authority, and others will burn with it like a floodlight in the night, the reality is that most of us fall between those two extremes.? Because of that, we can develop charismatic authority through knowledge and thoughtful, diligent effort.
The author specializes in leading big-budget, high-risk projects and programs in the US financial services industry.
You can arrange a personal consultation with the author by messaging him through LinkedIn. https://linkedin.com/in/tsheppard
The Art of Project Management can be found on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and directly from the author through this link.
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3 周Your breakdown highlights how influence built on personality and vision can inspire others, but also emphasizes the importance of balancing it with accountability and integrity... a thought-provoking read for anyone looking to lead effectively.