I used to work under a charismatic leader. He was smart, handsome, always smiled, a “visionary”, and knew ways to connect with people. He spearheaded new initiatives, new programs, and new projects (which he was head of). The problem is when he left all the initiatives, programs, projects, AND people were gone as well–everything he created vanished! It was like he was never there.
Granted, he had leadership problems to contend with–the person over him wasn’t focused on growth. And since an organization will only go as far as its leader will take it, he couldn’t go as far as he wanted to. After a while he got tired of banging his head against a “bronze” ceiling and left.
The problem with most charismatic leaders is that WHATEVER they create leaves with them. According to Jim Collins they are “time-tellers”:
“Having a great idea or being a charismatic visionary leader is ‘time telling’; building a company [or ministry] that can prosper far beyond the presence of any single leader and through multiple product life cycles is ‘clock building.’” [1]
This is in stark contrast to being a leader of purpose. Charismatic leaders tell the time; leaders of purpose build clocks.
Good Leadership Works Itself Out of a Job
Nothing’s wrong with charisma. But “larger than life” leaders are over-emphasized. A true leader is someone who can build or rebuild something that can outlast them. The differences between a charismatic leader and a leader of purpose are as follows:
CL: Are the “heart” of an organization.
LOP: Build the heart for an organization.
CL: Recruit followers.
LOP: Recruit and raise up leaders.
CL: Secure power for themselves.
LOP: Give power away to other competent leaders.
CL: When they leave, move, or die the organization falters.
LOP: When they leave move or die the organization prospers.
Look at Saul and David. David spent the remainder of his life preparing his successor, while Saul didn’t. So when David died Israel prospered without him. Unlike Saul, when he died his dynasty lagged “and the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.” [2]
Your job as a leader is to build something that lives beyond you. All the success in the world means nothing if it crumbles after you leave!!
What do you think??
- James Colling and Jerry Porras. Built to Last: Success Habits of Visionary Companies. page 23.
- 2 Samuel 3:1 (New King James Version)
