Charisma

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The word charisma (from the Greek word χάρισμα (kharisma), "gift" or "divine favor," from kharizesthai, "to favor," from kharis, "favor": see also charism) refers to a rare trait found in certain human personalities usually including extreme charm and a 'magnetic' quality of personality and/or appearance along with innate and powerfully sophisticated personal communicability and persuasiveness. Though very difficult or even impossible to define accurately (due to a lack of widely accepted criteria in regard to the trait), charisma is often used to describe an (elusive, even undefinable) personality trait that often includes the seemingly 'supernatural' or uncanny ability to lead, charm, persuade, inspire, and/or influence people. It refers especially to a quality in certain people who easily draw the attention and admiration (or even hatred if the charisma is negative) of others due to a 'magnetic' quality of personality and/or appearance. Similar terms/phrases related to charisma include: grace, exuberance, equanimity, mystique, positive energy, joie de vivre, extreme charm, personal magnetism, personal appeal, "electricity," and allure, among many others^[1]. Usually many of these specific qualities must be present within a single individual for the person to be considered highly charismatic by the public and their peers.

Despite the strong emotions they so often induce in others, charismatic individuals generally project unusual calmness, confidence, assertiveness, dominance, authenticity, and focus, and almost always possess superb communication and/or oratorical skills. Although the etymology of the word ("divine gift") might suggest that charisma can't be acquired, and despite the persistent inability to accurately define or even fully understand the concept, some ^[Who?] believe that charisma can be taught and/or learned. Others ^[Who?] disagree with this assertion and maintain that it is an inborn trait and that it cannot be either learned, taught, or 'gained.'

Contents 1 The psychology of charisma 2 Theories of charisma 3 Other uses 4 See also 4.1 As "divine favor" 4.2 As "personal appeal" 5 References 6 References and further reading 7 External links

[edit] The psychology of charisma

The term charisma, derived from Ancient Greek was introduced in scholarly usage by German sociologist Max Weber. [1] He defined charismatic authority to be one of three forms of authority, the other two being traditional (feudal) authority and legal or rational authority. According to Weber, charisma is defined thus:

a certain quality of an individual personality, by virtue of which s/he is "set apart" from ordinary people and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities. These as such are not accessible to the ordinary person, but are regarded as divine in origin or as exemplary, and on the basis of them the individual concerned is treated as a leader.^[2]

The study, recognition, and development of charisma in individuals is of particular interest to sociologists/psychologists, popular (usually national) politicians, public speakers, actors, movie-stars/movie-producers, casting directors, pop-music stars, trainers/coaches targeting the upper-echelons of the business community (CEOs), and academics or others involved in leadership studies or leadership development, among others. ^[3]

In some cases highly-extroverted and brutally controlling charismatic leaders have used their personal charisma in extremely destructive and damaging ways throughout human history, for example, Adolf Hitler and Jim Jones.

Pierre Bourdieu did not have a very different position from that of Weber's, but he stressed that a leader has charisma only if other people accept that s/he has it. Bourdieu argued that charisma usually depends on an "inaugural act" such as a decisive battle or moving speech after which the charismatic person will be regarded as such.

[edit] Theories of charisma

Charisma has also been studied as a set of behaviors/traits; for example, a modern psychological approach posits that charisma is basically aggregative, a conglomeration of distinct personality traits that meld well in certain individuals to form the broad quality known as charisma or "personal magnetism."

Theatrically, charisma can sometimes be "performed" on-stage and in films, and is encapsulated in both verbal and non-verbal communication.

Professor Richard Wiseman says that a charismatic person has three attributes:

1. they feel emotions themselves quite strongly;
2. they induce them in others;
3. and they are impervious to the influences of other charismatic people. ^[4]

The following are Professor Wiseman's general tips on how to be more charismatic:

• General: Open body posture, hands away from face when talking, stand up straight, relax, hands apart with palms forwards or upwards
• To an individual: Let people know they matter and you enjoy being around them, develop a genuine smile, nod when they talk, briefly touch them on the upper arm, and maintain eye contact
• To a group: Be comfortable as leader, move around to appear enthusiastic, lean slightly forward and look at all parts of the group
• Message: Move beyond status quo and make a difference, be controversial, new, simple to understand, counter-intuitive
• Speech: Be clear, fluent, forceful and articulate, evoke imagery, use an upbeat tempo, occasionally slow for tension or emphasis. ^[4]

[edit] Other uses

Charisma is also commonly referred to in role-playing games, being one of the abilities of a character. Charismatic ability modifies dice rolls concerning communication, persuasion, lying, inspiring trust in others, etc. A particular example is in the game The Sims, in which charisma is a skill that can be built by practicing speeches in mirrors, and it is used to get promotions in Jobs, particularly in those of political fields.

The current NWA World Heavyweight Champion Christian Cage is also known as "Captain Charisma" in his World Wrestling Entertainment and TNA career. Jeff Hardy, also a professional wrestler was known as "The Charismatic Enigma" when he debuted in TNA, only to return to WWE later.

The hard rock band KISS has a song called "Charisma" on their 1979 album, "Dynasty"

[edit] See also

[edit] As "divine favor"

• Aura (similar to "presence")
• Barakah (roughly approximate Arabic Islamic/Sufi term for charisma)
• Baruch (roughly approximate Hebrew/Jewish term for charisma; it means "blessed")
• Category:Charismatic religious leaders
• Cessationism
• Charism
• Charismatic movement (Evangelical Christianity)
• Charites, Greek goddesses of "charis" (grace/charisma)
• Darshan (roughly approximate Hindu term for charisma)
• Divine grace
• Enlightenment (concept)
• Genius
• Glossolalia
• Guru
  • Satguru
• High Priest
• Neo-charismatic churches
• Pentecostalism
• Prophet
• Religious ecstasy
• Sanctification
• Shaman
• Spiritual gift
• Tzadik

[edit] As "personal appeal"

• Charismatic authority
• Charismatic oratory
• Cool (aesthetic)
• Crowd psychology
• Cult of personality
• Demagogue
• Ecstasy (emotion)
• Eloquence
• Empathy
• Fuhrerprinzip
• Leadership
  • Authority
• List of charismatic leaders (uses Max Weber's definition as a basis)
• Milgram experiment
• Monarch
• Power (sociology)
• Rapport
• Sex appeal
• Sex symbol
• The Three Types of Legitimate Rule

[edit] References

[edit] References and further reading

• D. Aberbach. Charisma in Politics, Religion and the Media: Private Trauma, Public Ideals. NYU Press, 1996. ISBN 0814706479.
• A. Allahar. Caribbean Charisma: Reflections on Leadership, Legitimacy and Populist Politics. L. R. Publishers, 2001. ISBN 1588260054.
• P. D. Bathory. Leadership in America: Consensus, Corruption, and Charisma. Longman, 1978. ISBN 0582280397.
• N. W. Biggart. Charismatic Capitalism: Direct Selling Organizations in America. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1990. ISBN 0226047865.
• A. J. Blasi. Making Charisma: The Social Construction of Paul's Public Image. Transaction Pub., 1991. ISBN 0887384005.
• L. Boff. Church, Charisma and Power: Liberation Theology and the Institutional Church. Crossroad Publishing Co., 1986. ISBN 0824505905.
• R. T. Bradley. Charisma and Social Structure: A Study of Love and Power, Wholeness and Transformation. iUniverse, 2000. ISBN 1583480021.
• A. E. Bryman. Charisma and Leadership in Organizations. SAGE Publications, 1992. ISBN 0803983182.
• S. L. Carlton-Ford. The Effects of Ritual and Charisma: The Creation of Collective Effervescence and the Support of Psychic Strength. Taylor & Francis, 1993. ISBN 0815312512.
• L. F. Carter. Charisma and Control in Rajneeshpuram: A Community without Shared Values. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1990. ISBN 0521385547.
• W. Clark. Academic Charisma and the Origins of the Research University. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2006. ISBN 0226109216.
• S. Coleman. The Globalisation of Charismatic Christianity. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2000. ISBN 0521660726.
• J. A. Conger, et al. Charismatic Leadership in Organizations. Sage Publications, 1998. ISBN 0761916342.
• J. A. Conger. The Charismatic Leader: Behind the Mystique of Exceptional Leadership. Jossey-Bass Pub., 1989. ISBN 1555421717.
• C. Coulon, et al. Charisma and Brotherhood in African Islam. Oxford Univ. Press, 1988. ISBN 019822723X.
• T. J. Csordas. Language, Charisma, and Creativity: Ritual Life in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Palgrave Macmillan, 2001. ISBN 0312294212.
• T. J. Csordas. Language, Charisma, and Creativity: The Ritual Life of a Religious Movement. Univ. of California Press, 1997. ISBN 0520204697.
• V. Dalmia, et al. Charisma and Canon: Essays on the Religious History of the Indian Subcontinent. Oxford Univ. Press, 2003. ISBN 0195666208.
• R. V. Dooren. Messengers from the Promised Land: An Interactive Theory of Political Charisma. Leiden Univ. Press, 1994. ISBN 9066951044.
• J. V. Downton. Rebel Leadership: Commitment and Charisma in the Revolutionary Process. Macmillan, 1973. ISBN 0029075602.
• J. M. Eckert. The Charisma of Direct Action: Power, Politics, and the Shiv Sena. Oxford Univ. Press, 2003. ISBN 0195660447.
• R. Falco. Charismatic Authority in Early Modern English Tragedy. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2000. ISBN 0801862809.
• S. Feuchtwang. Grassroots Charisma in China: Four Local Leaders in China. Routledge, 2001. ISBN 0415244188.
• W. Gephardt, et al. Charisma: Theorie, Religion, Politik. De Gruyter, 1993. ISBN 3110140470. [in German]
• R. M. Glassman, et al. Charisma, History, and Social Structure. Greenwood Press, 1986. ISBN 0313249083.
• M. Gunther. Masse Und Charisma: Soziale Ursachen Des Politischen Und Religiosen Fanatismus. P. L. Pub., 2005. ISBN 3631535368. [in German]
• M. Hengel. The Charismatic Leader and His Followers. T. & T. Clark, 1981. ISBN 0567030016.
• R. R. Hutton. Charisma and Authority in Israelite Society. Fortress Press, 1994. ISBN 0800628322.
• K. R. Jamison. Exuberance: The Passion for Life. Knopf, 2004. ISBN 037540144X.
• P. Jenkins. Mystics and Messiahs: Cults and New Religions in American History. Oxford Univ. Press, 2001. ISBN 0195145968.
• R. Khurana. Searching for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Charismatic CEOs. Princeton Univ. Press, 2004. ISBN 0691120390.
• R. A. Kydd. Charismatic Gifts in the Early Church: An Exploration into the Gifts of the Spirit During the First Three Centuries of the Christian Church. Hendrickson Pub., 1984. ISBN 0913573094.
• J. A. Lalich. Bounded Choice: True Believers and Charismatic Cults. Univ. of California Press, 2004. ISBN 0520240189.
• M. Lenze. Postmodernes Charisma: Marken und Stars statt Religion und Vernunft. Deutscher Universitätsverlag, 2003. ISBN 382444495X. [in German]
• I. M. Lewis. Religion in Context: Cults and Charisma. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1996. ISBN 0521566347.
• C. Lindholm. Charisma. Oxford-Blackwell Pub., 1993. ISBN 1557864535.
• B. MacLachlan. The Age of Grace: "Charis" in Early Greek Poetry. Princeton Univ. Press, 1993. ISBN 0691069743.
• D. Madsen, et al. The Charismatic Bond: Political Behavior in Times of Crisis. Harvard Univ. Press, 1991. ISBN 0674109872.
• N. P. Manning. The Therapeutic Community Movement: Charisma and Routinization. Routledge, 1989. ISBN 0415029139.
• K. Miyahara. "Charisma: From Weber to Contemporary Sociology." In Sociological Inquiry, October 1983: Volume 53, Issue 4.
• J. A. Montgomery. Hebrew "Hesed" and Greek "Charis". Harvard Univ. Press, 1939.
• L. Ndubuisi. Paul's Concept of Charisma in 1 Corinthians 12: With Emphasis on Nigerian Charismatic Movements. Peter Lang Pub., 2003. ISBN 0820460931.
• N. J. Neitz. Charisma and Community: A Study of Religious Commitment within the Charismatic Renewal. Transaction Publishers, 1987. ISBN 0887381308.
• J. Nyomarkay. Charisma and Factionalism in the Nazi Party. Univ. of Minnesota Press, 1967. ISBN 0816604290.
• L. Oakes. Prophetic Charisma: The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities. Syracuse Univ. Press, 1997. ISBN 0815603983.
• A. C. Pinto, et al. Charisma and Fascism. Routledge, 2007. ISBN 0415419832.
• M. M. Poloma. The Assemblies of God at the Crossroads: Charisma and Institutional Dilemmas. Univ. of Tennessee Press, 1989. ISBN 0870496077.
• M. Popper. Leaders Who Transform Society: What Drives Them and Why We are Attracted. Praeger, 2005. ISBN 027598561X.
• P. Rieff. Charisma: The Gift of Grace, and How It Has Been Taken Away from Us. Pantheon, 2007. ISBN 0375424520.
• R. E. Riggio The Charisma Quotient. Dodd Mead, 2007. ISBN 0396089623.
• T. Robbins. Cults, Converts and Charisma: The Sociology of New Religious Movements. Sage Publications, 1988. ISBN 0803981597.
• S. H. Rudolph. Gandhi: The Traditional Roots of Charisma. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1983. ISBN 0226731367.
• J. T. Sanders. Charisma, Converts, Competitors: Societal and Sociological Factors in the Success of Early Christianity. SCM Press, 2001. ISBN 0334027950.
• I. Schiffer. Charisma: A Psychoanalytic Look at Mass Society. Univ. of Toronto Press, 1975. ISBN 0802062210.
• I. F. Silber. Virtuosity, Charisma, and Social Order: A Comparative Sociological Study of Monasticism in Theravada Buddhism and Medieval Catholicism. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2005. ISBN 0521021375.
• C. R. Smith. The Quest for Charisma: Christianity and Persuasion. Praeger, 2000. ISBN 0275968367.
• A. Storr. Feet of Clay: Saints, Sinners, and Madmen: A Study of Gurus. Free Press, 1997. ISBN 0684834952.
• A. Storr. Feet of Clay: The Power and Charisma of Gurus. Free Press, 1996. ISBN 0002555638.
• R. Stronstad. The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke. Hendrickson Pub., 1984. ISBN 0913573116.
• L. N. Takim. The Heirs of the Prophet: Charisma And Religious Authority in Shi'ite Islam. SUNY Press, 2006. ISBN 0791467376.
• S. J. Tambiah. The Buddhist Saints of the Forest and the Cult of Amulets: A Study in Charisma, Hagiography, Sectarianism and Millennial Buddhism. Cambridge Univ. Press, 1984. ISBN 0521277876.
• D. M. Thompson. Waiting for Antichrist: Charisma and Apocalypse in a Pentecostal Church. Oxford Univ. Press, 2006. ISBN 0195178564.
• S. A. Thornton. Charisma and Community Formation in Medieval Japan: The Case of the Yugyo-Ha, 1300-1700. Cornell Univ. Press, 1999. ISBN 1885445024.
• S. Wang. Failure of Charisma: The Cultural Revolution in Wuhan. Oxford Univ. Press, 1995. ISBN 0195859502.
• Max Weber, et al. On Charisma and Institution Building. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1968. ISBN 0226877248.
• P. Werbner. Embodying Charisma: Saints, Cults and Muslim Shrines in South Asia. Routledge, 1998. ISBN 0415151007.
• A. R. Willner. The Spellbinders: Charismatic Political Leadership. Yale Univ. Press, 1985. ISBN 0300034059.
• B. R. Wilson. The Noble Savages: The Primitive Origins of Charisma and Its Contemporary Survival. Univ. of California Press, 1975. ISBN 0520028155.
• B. D. Zablocki. Alienation and Charisma: A Study of Contemporary American Communes. Free Press, 1980. ISBN 0029357802.
• E. A. Zitser. The Transfigured Kingdom: Sacred Parody and Charismatic Authority at the Court of Peter the Great. Cornell Univ. Press, 2004. ISBN 0801441471.

[edit] External links

• The X-Factors of Success from Psychology Today
• The Character of Charisma from whyfiles.org, a 4 part series
• Max Weber and Charisma
• Charismatic Authority from about.com
• Why Charisma Matters from Tony Alessandra Ph.D.
• Charisma from vocalist.org
• Charisma by Thomas Robbin in the Encyclopedia of Religion and Society, edited by William H. Swatos: ISBN 0-7619-8956-0
• Toward a Theory of the Routinization of Charisma — April 1972
• The science of savoir faire
• Charismatic Cults on BBC Four in Thinking Allowed 26 Jan. 2005 Wednesday 16.00-16.30 presented Laurie Taylor, press on "Listen Again"
• Article: "Moses, Charisma, and Covenant"