Charisma: A Gift for You?

Who doesn’t enjoy getting a gift?  No matter the season or celebration, something surprising or unexpected is a delight to receive.  Bringing even more joy is that unique “gift that keeps on giving”—something that continues to offer meaning for weeks, months, or years. 

Would it surprise you to know that charisma is that type of enduring gift?  In fact, the word itself comes from the Greek charizesthai which literally means “to gift or to favor” (www.merriam-webster.com ).  Since ancient times, people favored or gifted with charisma were seen to have exceptional ability, often able to exert influence over their peers because of the qualities with which they’d been “graced” (from a related Greek word charis). In more modern times, someone we perceive as charismatic is sometimes described as having the “it factor”—a trait which seems intangible and probably unattainable to the rest of us. 

Fortunately, that latter statement couldn’t be further from the truth.  Becoming more charismatic is a possibility, especially for those who decide to foster a certain “magic of leadership” that inspires loyalty and enthusiasm. 

The bottom line is that any leader can develop this kind of leadership magic. How can this be accomplished? By intentionally improving your Emotional Quotient. 

For years LEADon® has specifically targeted EQ as a cornerstone for developing exceptional leaders.  Originally we based our decision to include EQ in our leadership approach because of extensive research by experts in the field, but after decades of work with leaders and their teams, we’ve witnessed firsthand how improving Personal and Social Competence (the two main components of EQ) powerfully impacts significance and success. 

For leaders who want to increase their level of charisma, the LEADon team recommends addressing specific EQ characteristics, such as: 

• Empathy:  Sensing others’ feelings and perspectives while taking an active interest in their concerns. 
• Service Orientation: Anticipating, recognizing, and meeting other’s needs. 
• Developing Others: Sensing what others need in order to support their growth and development. 
• Political Awareness: Reading a group’s emotional currents and power relationships. 
• Influence: Using effective tactics and strategies to persuade others. 
• Communication: Sending clear and convincing messages. 
• Leadership: Inspiring, influencing, and nurturing people and groups. 
• Team Capabilities: Creating group synergy in pursuing collective goals. 

LEADon has developed numerous resources to help individuals, teams, and entire Corporate Families® improve EQ skill sets.  We recommend you begin this process by taking our metric Developing Emotional Competency Questionnaire® (DECQ). This proprietary online survey provides immediate results on EQ strengths and areas to improve.  Each individual DECQ report can offer over 170 data points, and recommendations for specific  LEADon online courses will allow participants to address areas that need development. You and your Corporate Family® members can also access additional resources, including blogs like “From Ashes to Empathy” and “Leadership and EQ” (to find all of our free posts, go to The LEADing Blog).

Charisma is a remarkable gift, and there’s no better time than the present to begin exploring the enduring benefits it can have on your personal and professional life. If the LEADon team can assist you in this process, please connect with us at 858.592.0700 or www.LEADonUniversity.com.