ABSTRACT
The period after the charismatic leader is gone is always perilous, but in hypercompetitive, fast-moving industries, the loss becomes apparent much more rapidly. 1
Last week in my small town of Leesburg, Virginia, an estimated 35,000 people turned out to see Barack Obama. Why is he drawing crowds like a rock star? It's a lot of things, of course – but don’t underestimate the power of a largely misunderstood leadership quality – charisma. 2
United repelled fluent moves from their opponents, cameras switching from time to time to Jose [Mourinho] on the touchline.… The crowd chanted ‘You’re not special anymore’ but more with a mix of relief and black humour than of spite. We were witnessing the limits of charisma. 3
Charisma is a tricky thing. Used wisely, it's a blessing. Indulged, it can be a curse. Charismatic visionaries lead people ahead, and sometimes astray. 4
Charisma is a necessary ingredient of transformational leadership but by itself is not sufficient to account for the transformational process. 5
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