What is Charisma?
By Michelle Watrin
November 1, 2008
In my lifetime, Ronald Reagan had it. Pierre Elliott Trudeau had it. Bill Clinton has it. Barack Obama definitely has it. What is this thing called Charisma? Why are certain people blessed with it while the rest live on a different level?
According to Wikipedia, a source not always reliable, but dead on in this definition: “The word charisma (origin from the Greek word χάρισμα (kharisma), "gift" or "divine favor," from kharizesthai, "to favor," from kharis, "favor") 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.”
Powerfully sophisticated personal communicability and persuasiveness. Wow. That hits the bull’s-eye every time. That beats out intelligence and even ambition—although if you are blessed with charisma, somehow ambition can easily be a sister trait. Maybe I should say brother trait, as I have had a hard time coming up with a female name with charisma. Hillary Clinton? Sarah Palin? What is interesting about these women is that some may argue they have charisma, but an interesting side effect of females with charisma is that most times people either love them or hate them.
Maybe Oprah is the best example of modern-day pure female charisma. By making herself identifiable with her audience by talking with them instead of at them, she can create blockbusters and millionaires by a simple mention of a name of a book or a product. That is definitely charisma.
I have been contemplating charisma ever since the Abbotsford mayoral debate on October 28. Honestly, I hate to admit it, but I did not see much charisma on the stage. I went there hoping, wishing I would. With George Ferguson’s departure from the helm, Abbotsford is at a time of turning to a new focus… new direction. All this can come from a new leader. But who would be the best one to charismatically lead us to lower crime while lowering our property tax and improving our transit system?
Then again, is it necessary to have charisma to run a city of 130,000? It sure wouldn't hurt.
Can one develop this characteristic? I don't think so. Maybe one day scientists will uncover a gene that controls charisma. Fast forward a little and maybe another day, all babies will be implanted with this gene invetro. What would life be like if everyone was charismatic? Who would we follow? Why would we follow him or her if charisma was handed out equally? Something to ponder.
Meanwhile, the mass will continue to look to the charismatic in awe, and the charismatic will continue to win our votes and run the world.
