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Authentic Leadership develops Engagement

Guest post by: Nikki Owen

Article Overview: In turbulent times with the gloomy term ‘economic recession’ hovering like a grey cloud overhead, there is a glimmer of light that is providing a ray of hope for organisations wanting to thrive rather than survive in 2012. Did you know that the authenticity of the leadership team determines whether employees either do their job or whether they work with their heart and soul, continually striving to make a positive impact. Authentic leadership builds trust and automatically stimulates the flow of energy that breeds confidence and safety so that employees feel fully engaged with their organisation’s vision.

Authentic Leadership develops Engagement

A leader who communicates from their heart, a leader who is ‘present’ with every member of staff and a leader who is congruent with their message becomes a leader with high levels of influence and impact. I define charisma as “an authentic power that captivates the hearts and minds of others.”

According to a critical skills survey by the American Management Association, collaboration of the workforce will become even more vital to organisations in the next three to five years, particularly as the economy improves and organisations look to grow. The quickest and most cost-effective way to build a collaborative culture is by developing the charismatic potential within leadership teams. Interestingly, the term ‘charisma’ can be perceived as a management turn-off because of the stereotypical impression that to be charismatic means a big extroverted personality. Being authentic is actually vital to stimulate the flow of charisma meaning that if you are an introverted, shy personality type you can still be charismatic if you are being you and are passionate about your role.

The role of authenticity and charisma (or lack of both attributes) was brilliantly demonstrated during the UK’s live political debates in May 2010. Voters witnessed Brown’s lack of authenticity as he tried to compete with and dominate his two younger opponents. Clegg’s charisma landed him the job of Deputy Prime Minister yet time has shown that you need substance as well as charisma to sustain long-term engagement. Cameron’s lack of pure charisma resulted in a coalition government. Each political leader provides us with a salutary lesson that authenticity, substance and charisma are a vital component for building success and growth.

Great people want to work for great leaders. The greatest differentiator among the organisations of the future will be the ability to build world-class capability and skills. The war for talent exists at all levels of an organisation. Charismatic leaders affect both their followers and the organisational culture. They are capable of altering workforce attitudes, beliefs and motivation, making changes that are not easily implemented through conventional leadership approaches alone. It’s little wonder that the leader who possesses charisma also has a tendency to attract followers who are the crème de la crème of talent. In the same way that ‘money attracts money’, charisma produces a strong karmic reaction for both leader and worker.

The Cremer and Knippenberg report, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, 2002, used scenario experiments, cross-sectional surveys and laboratory studies to prove that charismatic leaders had a stronger effect on cooperation than their non-charismatic counterparts.

Most leaders today appreciate the impact that a charismatic presence can have on their effectiveness. Charismatic leaders attract more publicity and more attention from outside groups as well as exerting a strong (albeit invisible) bond with their organisation’s workforce. Numerous studies and experiments have been conducted that prove conclusively that charismatic leaders are more successful.

Requirements for charismatic leaders If you are seeking to become a charismatic leader, this checklist of key requirements will help guide your thoughts, actions and behaviours. Charismatic leaders must be able to

· Make a realistic evaluation of the deficiencies and problem areas in a given situation

· Appreciate the longer-term implications of not adopting new strategies for change and growth

· Demonstrate a strong desire to change the status quo and remedy the identified problems

· Be empathetic to the needs of their organisation’s workforce and show a real appreciation of people and their value

· Formulate a vision that will lead to a future that is highly desirable for the organisation and the people who work within it

· Communicate this vision in a motivational and inspiring manner that evokes strong positive feelings within others

· Regularly repeat the vision from different perceptual positions and with flexibility to appeal and ‘touch’ the full spectrum of that workforce

· Inspire commitment and hard work from the people who work within the organisation towards an aligned vision

· Act as a role model at all times, and gain the confidence and respect of the workforce for both for the leader and the mission

· Demonstrate high levels of energy and self-confidence and exhibit high expectations in terms of their workforce’s capability and the results the organisation can achieve

· Possess credibility as an expert in their field and demonstrate an unconventional and innovative style

· Be willing to run certain personal risks, as and when the mission requires.

These behaviours help to create an instinctive, sometimes unconscious impression that the leader authentic. This strengthens the relationship between the workforce and leader, while fuelling the charismatic presence of that leader.

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Article Tags: Authentic leadership, Charisma, Charismatic Leadership, David Cameron, Engagement



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