Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

28 Mar Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

Interestingly, this quote is attributed to Cliff Gladwin, an English bowler. On 20th of December, 1948, when he went in to bat against South Africa in Durban, his team needed 12 runs in 3 overs with 2 wickets remaining.

This is what Gladwin was supposed to have told himself as he led his team to victory.

Strange that this quote originated in a cricket field, for this phrase brings to mind heroes who have changed the course of history – Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, who showed the way for the betterment of humanity. At the other end of the spectrum, Hitler, Mussolini, Nathan Bedford Forrest, the infamous founder of the Ku Klux Klan in America, who brought the world to its knees with their malevolent egos.

CHARISMA is what these leaders have in common and they are great examples of how charisma can create and/ or decimate.

Poised as we are today, in another historic moment in our lives, it is charismatic leaders that we will find to the fore to define our lives, not just politically, but also in re-defining our business paradigms.

Returning to work after a lock-down of 4 weeks will find people taking time to find their rhythm in the workplace once again. Shaking off the stupor and getting down to the brass tacks with no loss of motivation – this is where the leaders have to step in and ensure that their teams are back on track in quick time. Making up for lost time and scaling up on productivity are also needs that need to be addressed on an immediate basis.

So,which aspects of charismatic leaders will the business heads fall back on to steer their teams into a high performance mode?

1. Communication: Charismatic leaders are master communicators.They speak with confidence and appeal to the heart, which is why people automatically listen to them. Maintaining eye contact and positive body language also ensure a captive audience. The saying goes that good leaders make people feel that they are at the heart of things, not at the periphery.
2. Ability to influence: one of the greatest qualities of a charismatic leader is to motivate followers to achieve a common goal. Jack Welch’s leadership style, for example, engendered a sense of pride in his people in working for GE. He always made it a point to talk to employees across the board, indulging in meaningful conversations with them, fostering an inclusive culture in his organisation. His ability to create strong connections in people and get to the heart of people endeared him to many and created a huge following which benefited the organisation a great deal.
3. Generosity: This is a much under valued trait in the workplace today. Transformational leaders believe that it is important for them to put themselves in the shoes of their team members and understand their needs.They also see a value in giving without receiving. This quality stands out in truly transformational leaders -when individuals feel that they are valued , it is a bond that is hard to break.
4. Tenacity to stay the course: However difficult the situation, a charismatic leader never takes his eyes off the target. They always march ahead, full steam, meeting challenges head on and emerging on top. In fact, it is difficult situations that bring out the best in them – they are their creative best and innovate to stay ahead. What is more, they are able to carry their teams along with them, unwavering in reaching the set target. The emotional connect with the teams plays a crucial role in ensuring that they stay focussed.

Two great leaders summarize it for us on how to deal with our current crisis in business:

Lee Iacocca: “Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can’t be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.”

Jack Welch: “The essence of competitiveness is liberated when we make people believe that what they think and do is important — and then get out of their way while they do it.”

Comments welcome!