The Image of Charisma is Important

By Dr. Tony Alessandra

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The charismatic person, or leader (and the charismatic person is likely to become a leader, whether officially anointed or not) is a practitioner of personal power and, thus, a good match for our age. For starters, ours is an era of images. And, the person with charisma often exudes a strong, positive image, or silent message. For better or worse, our society has an emphasis on the visual. So someone who makes a good first impression or, perhaps is telegenic, has an immediate advantage.

Secondly, I think our expectations have risen. We've come to demand more from people than mere competence. When even the local car dealer or supermarket manager can be seen as articulate, personable, and persuasive in a slick TV ad, we no longer readily accept those who squirm, stumble over their words, and don't quite look us in the eye. As a result, the able person with a mind like a steel trap -- but with an otherwise undistinguished demeanor -- is not as likely to impress us.

© 2007 Tony Alessandra
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