A leader’s personal charm and magnetism to attract, inspire and influence others towards the pursuit of higher goals and ideals is central to building winning teams. Great leaders have the ability to communicate the vision with passion as a way of convincing everyone to buy into it and run with such a set agenda. Appealing and focusing the energies of team members towards a common goal is demanded of every leader who desires to make a lasting impression on the team. This is never a matter of being extroverted or loud mouthed on the part of the leader as many might want to believe. Instead, it comes down to a collection of attributes that carry the necessary drive demanded in making things happen; qualities which can be acquired by anyone.
Leaders with charisma are confident, inspiring and possess a level of warmth that appeals to everyone who comes into their space. This ability is not necessarily one that someone is born with but anyone anywhere can make a point of having an attentive ear that listens to what others have to say. Everyone desires to have a listening ear, particularly from their leader. The moment one develops such an ability, the higher the chances of connecting and aligning with the team members without the application of force. Any action that comes without an external push has a lasting effect that when force is meted out. A leader who develops the grace to pick people when they do something right or the one who shows great interests in the wellbeing of fellow men, such a person is on the rightful path of developing charisma required in the building of great teams.
The magnetism displayed by a leader has a contagion effect that can cascade right though the team. Such level of energy goes a long way in creating a formidable force which makes the team unstoppable. Every great team is known for some magic touch it possesses. It is this uniqueness that separates the team from others. Great team players, like great leaders, focus on others rather than themselves. Charisma is normally associated with great leaders who are agents of change within their teams, normally through the manner in which they stimulate others to greatness. Within teams, an aura of greatness can likewise be ingrained to rally everyone towards a common end.
Individuals with charisma show great interest in the well-being of other people. Loving others is not reserved for those at the top or those with positions. Anyone can make a choice of loving and caring for others. The moment a team is comprised of teammates with an eagerness to love one another, then the team’s charisma is built up. Developing a genuine love and interested for others is a powerful force with the effect of generating a level of team cohesion which is healthy for the team.
It is said that people don’t care how much you know until the know how much you care. Display of care and concern for others is a great ingredient for team greatness. When this power comes from the top, a culture of energy and love creates a ripple effect of positive influence which converts into increased productivity. Team members respond more readily if you show them that they matter. No one can resist the force of genuine love, with people having been known to go out of their way to ensure that they align with the affection they are shown by their leaders. Loyalty is the reward that any leader gets from the team members who feel that they should pay back for the attention and love they are shown by those leading them. Before a team member can stretch forth their hand to deliver the goods, the leader must touch the heart and appeal to the head. When the heart is shown love and the head is inspired by the leader’s influence, everyone offers their hand in making things happen. When such an order of doing things become a culture, the team is guaranteed of continued success.
A leader who desires to make a lasting impression on the team should know that a smile given genuinely is inviting, with the other party being left with no option but to smile back. Giving one’s attention through eye contact is a sign of interest which great charismatic personalities have used to connect with others. Equally important is learning the ability to address people with their names and understanding their areas of interest. Naturally, everyone is self-centered, with anything that is personalized having a special appeal to them. Within the team, such individuals feel that their contribution is appreciated and being recognized. They have no option but to return the gesture. The leader who wants to attract and draw others to them has a choice of lighting up their face and wait for the magnetic effect of their act to come back multiplied.
Move away from focusing on yourself and what you have done and transfer everything to others. Be a good listener instead of looking forward to others listening to you; which is one of the greatest error made by many position oriented leaders. Encourage others to talk about themselves and pay attention to what they have to say. They must feel how great they are when they are in your presence. When you consider other people’s lives besides your own, they feel obligated to continuously prove their worth to the good and betterment of the team.
Charismatic leaders who want the best from their team are always driven by the platinum rule – treat others the way they want to be treated. If you want them to given their all for the team, it doesn’t start with them, it is always about the leader. Give them your life and they give back theirs in return. Offload value to them and you are assured of getting value in return. Charismatic leaders carry an aura of energy and positivity. What do they get in return? Your guess is as good as everybody else – unstoppable energy and positivity. This is the magic of charisma that would have cascaded through the structures of any team that desired to win big.
