Wednesday, May 18, 2011

The Charismatic Equation

In last month we started providing a summary of a few of the key charismatic behaviors a leader must master to have a consistent charismatic impact upon his/her people. Earlier this year we introduced new research on Leadership Charisma and the book by the same title and last month we also started a series of Executive Briefings about it.

The first key principle we discussed last month was WIIFM – What’s In It For Me. Essentially that principle states that leaders who are seen to be charismatic in the eyes of their people are those who make it their business to always know precisely what it is that interests and motivates their people. We’ll explore that more in the next few months when we look at some specific charismatic behaviors – for now let’s look at the second key principle: the ‘charismatic equation’.

The charismatic equation is a really very sensible and straight forward principle that explains what gives a person charismatic appeal.

'The extent to which you are perceived as being charismatic is directly proportional to the extent to which people either feel or fare better after each interaction with you'.

In simple terms: if I feel better or do better as a result of spending time with you, then you are charismatic for me. That’s it! Charismatic leaders make it a point to ensure that every interaction with direct reports is focused upon raising the self-esteem, self worth and capabilities of their people.

In future months as we work through the specific behaviors of leadership charisma bear these two principles in mind. You’ll see that they underpin and explain why each and every one of the charismatic leader behaviors is so effective in raising a leader’s charisma.

Monday, May 2, 2011

WIIFM

Earlier this year we introduced new research on Leadership Charisma and the book by the same title. Also, last month we started a series of Executive Briefings about it. Now we’re going to spend some space summarizing a few of the key charismatic behaviors a leader must master to have a consistent charismatic impact upon his/her people.

However, before we get into the specific behaviors we need to provide some background with the key principles that were uncovered by the research that underpins the book. If all you remember and apply are these key principles then you’ll raise your charismatic impact upon your people dramatically.

The first principle is WIIFM (pronounced ‘wiffum’).

This is not meant in any negative sense whatever, but when you strip away all of the niceties, all the layers of ‘proper’ behavior that define the way we act and talk with others, all the social norms etc., what informs most of what we do is self-interest. Even the most altruistic person asks ‘WIIFM’ – what’s.in.it.for.me? The answer for the true altruist is the sense of doing good by other people; that’s what interests them – so in doing good for others they are actually ultimately acting in their own self interest!

So, it follows that people who follow leaders, who find them charismatic, must be seeing some-thing, or -things, in that person which they believe can help them further their own self-interests. Therefore, if we can identify what constitutes our people’s self-interests, and if we can ensure that we honestly and diligently behave in a manner that help others to achieve their self-interests then people will want to follow us.

Leaders who are seen to be charismatic in the eyes of their people are those who make it their business to always know precisely what it is that interests and motivates their people. Charismatic leaders know what each person wants from their lives and careers – and then make it their business to identify how each person’s self-interests are served by helping the organization achieve what it needs to achieve.

Next time we will discuss the second key principal, the Charismatic Equation.

Sudden Involuntary Change!

Images of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami destruction in Japan along with schematics of nuclear power plants have quickly been seared into our individual and collective consciousness. Beyond what is readily observable, reports indicate the island of Japan moved eight feet and the earth’s axis shifted four inches as a result, or perhaps cause, of the quake. The height of your ceiling is probably about eight feet and four inches is about the length of your smart phone. Neither number seems large in those contexts; however because we consider the earth to be solid and permanent a measurable change of that amount is staggering and helps to explain how such dramatic damage was produced so suddenly. If those geological shifts had occurred in small increments over hundreds of years there may have been numerous small tremors but the gradual shifts would not have resulted in anything close to the devastation we have seen and few lives, if any, would have been lost.

Effectively managing change is one of the most challenging demands for a leader at any level, particularly frontline managers. Perhaps for leaders the main lesson of this complex disaster may be to understand change more clearly. The key variable elements of change are speed and choice. The earthquake and tsunami are examples of no choice and high speed change. That type of change is virtually impossible to resist but good leaders reserve such dramatic changes for critical situations. High choice and gradual change may meet with resistance and the day to day impact may be indiscernible. Think of losing weight or in a business sense something such as shifting work responsibilities to address evolving technology or economic factors.

For all of us, leaders or followers, effectively responding to change is a key determinant of success at work and life in general. Self awareness along with observing how others respond to change are proven strategies for personal development. As you watch events in Japan and elsewhere unfold take a moment to consider the type of change and how people respond.