The word charismatic refers to a specials characteristic of some leaders. These are persons that have a special charisma, which according to Webster’s New World Dictionary refers to “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure”. In general people feel personally attracted towards charismatic leaders. The actions of charismatic leaders are often taken and supported without much reasoning based on a deep routed feeling of trust. In many cases there is a lot of emotional involvement among the followers.
Some of the characteristics of charismatic leadership have been:
- Charismatic leaders tend to arise particularly in times of crisis
- Their authority is often based on belief only
- Many appoint themselves to power, believing to have a mission
- They usually have a strong vision
- Often, but not always have high demands on their followers