The Appeal of a Charismatic Leader
Not too long ago I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with the CEO and founder of a start-up here in Austin. He was quite impressive. It started off fairly normal as do most meetings with a number of new people. We went around the room, introduced ourselves, and chatted a bit.
Then when it was the CEOs turn, he shared the origin of his passion and vision for his company. He started with his why. He shared why was he doing this and how he had come to this place. His story and the journey was powerful. It was relatable. But what was most moving to me was his body language and voice. You could see, feel, and hear the absolute commitment to making a change in the world.
As he was sharing his story I wanted to cheer for him. I got caught up and excited about it. I wanted to tell other people about it. I couldn’t hold back. On my way home I called my wife and told her about it. I texted my family about his company and what they were doing. I wanted to be a part of it. Even if being a part of it with something small like spreading the word just a little bit.
That’s the effect of a charismatic leader and a mission that is big, worthy, and important.
Do you have a mission that’s worthy of the people working on it? Do you have the kind of story that people get out of bed and are thrilled to go to work because they want to solve the problem? If you ask your team what they’re here to do, can they tell you? If they can tell you, are they passionate and excited about it?
