The role of political leader is a very large. History knows many examples when bloody wars between the two countries and peoples were unleashed in the interests of individual political leaders or groups, and attempts the realization of the delusional ideas of certain "leaders of the people" has claimed the lives of many millions of people. One of the most valuable characteristics of leader is his charisma. The term charisma often is used in political science and sociology to describe a subset of leaders who “by the force of their personal abilities are capable of having profound and extraordinary effects on followers” (Conger & Kanungo, 1987)
Charismatic leadership involves exceptional personal qualities of the leader that he has in fact or which are attributed to him by his surroundings and is strongly inflated by the media. Moreover, political charisma presupposes that a political leader has certain qualities that distinguish him from others. Charismatic leaders were Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Mao Zedong, Bill Clinton and others. The basis of the legitimacy of a charismatic leader is his superiority over others. It is a great difference between the person who is trying to persuade people by appealing to the knowledge, experience and all the other qualities and the person who is charismatic. Charisma is like a miracle that may cause unbelievable results. ("Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank - American Rhetoric", 2016)
Usually charisma is given to brutal tyrants. However, charismatic qualities can be imparted also to prominent political leaders. One of the greatest examples of it is Bill Clinton. He was one of the most popular presidents in the history of the United States. Moreover, he is probably the most popular among living presidents at the time of departure from his post. Bill Clinton is a great speaker and a very charming man. If you ever watched Bill Clinton in action, you have seen an effective use of social contacts. With the skill of an experienced politician, Clinton is constantly patting people on the back in a friendly manner or shows strong and vigorous handshake. He radiates positive energy, like kinetic and magnetic that creates an information field around him. He says: "I have confidence in myself, I am the master of the situation, and I have no doubt".
Conservative or liberal, woman or man, one thing that most anyone who met Clinton could agree on is that he had a talent for making people feel like they were the only ones in the room. ("Clinton and Kennedy’s 3 Secrets: How to Become More Charismatic", 2015). Clinton spent a lot of meetings in places symbolizing openness, for example at fast food restaurants or various talk shows. To my mind, that was what attracted people to him. He was the master of imagination and improvisation, who always generated new ideas, solutions and achieved brilliant results, which often were truly unexpected and this helped to make all people love him.
Contrary, charisma can stand hand in hand with ambition: the power of one at the irresponsibility of the other terribly seductive! In this case, charisma can turn from God's gift to the devil's temptation. Ironically, the attempt to exceed the power often meets people a warm welcome.
I have chosen Joseph Stalin as an example of this. He was arguably the Soviet Union’s most powerful and ruthless leader. ("Joseph Stalin", 2011). Josef Stalin was complicated man who saw the way to changing a society was through a strong and forceful fist. He impacted society throughout the world by not just instilling fear in millions but by also making many beneficial reforms that in some ways help than hinder. ("Stalin's Impact on Society", 2016)
Stalin believed in absolutes and in his own ability to bring happiness to" millions of future citizens by countless crimes. His policy of "creation of the future" was deeply flawed. Stalin considered acceptable to dispose of the future of millions of their fellow citizens to implement it. The high politics out of the union with morality is jewel fake. Stalin, as a cruel politician, and filled it all his existence, completely leaving no room for even basic moral values. Thus, people for the dictator were just the means to the static unit, one of a vast amorphous mass. In the history it is seen that power is best "highlights" of people. Vicious inclinations, hidden in this inconspicuous man, get up quickly. Stalin showed his true nature.
Hence, it is worth mentioning that the power affects each person differently. Scientists allocate such features of the personality of the leader:
External:
facial expressions and gestures should express confidence, friendliness, openness;
monocline aspect — the ability to concisely and accurately express thoughts, readiness to improvise, "living speech";
clothes — simplicity, relevance, conformance situation;
appearance — well groomed, but not gloss.
Internal:
openness to personal life — readiness for any provocation;
charismatic;
confidence. (Northouse, 2016)
The presence of such characteristics of the leader will contribute to the formation of a positive image of a political personality. Accordingly, their absence is the path to the destruction of the image, the inability to gain a foothold in the mind of the people to form his positive attitude.
References
Clinton and Kennedy’s 3 Secrets: How to Become More Charismatic. (2015). Retrieved 27 July 2016, from https://www.blinkist.com/page19/clinton-kennedys-3-secrets-become-charismatic
Conger, J. & Kanungo, R. (1987). Toward a Behavioral Theory of Charismatic Leadership in Organizational Settings. The Academy Of Management Review, 12(4), 637. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/258069
Joseph Stalin. (2011). The Good, the Bad and the Monstrous. Retrieved 29 July 2016, from https://powerstudy.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/joseph-stalin/
Northouse, P. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.
Stalin's Impact on Society. (2016). Ibatpv.org. Retrieved 29 July 2016, from http://www.ibatpv.org/projects/soviet_union/stalins%20impact%20on%20society.htm
Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century by Rank - American Rhetoric. (2016). Americanrhetoric.com. Retrieved 28 July 2016, from http://www.americanrhetoric.com/top100speechesall.html
