Tact and Charisma: Required Assets in Today's Leadership
Have you ever entered a social gathering, felt immediately drawn
to a person, and seen that others also huddle around him? On the
other hand, have you noticed yourself feel more at ease when a
certain person is present in a crowd? Chances are, the person in
the first situation had charisma and the person in the second
situation had tact.
The most successful people in starring roles in society have
tact or charisma or both. People with charisma immediately
secure others' loyalty at first sight, with or without having
many desirable assets. People with tact instinctively grasp the
situation and put everyone at ease by being able to say the
right thing at the right time. Moreover, they lead others into
acting in positive ways and they ease sticky situations.
Although a tactful act is instantaneous, tact involves a holding
back of judgment and measured action. Charisma, on the other
hand, glows with abundant action. Followers of charismatic
people trust them full-heartedly, with affection, obedience, and
emotional involvement. A charismatic person connects to people
right away practically on most levels, physically, emotionally,
and intellectually. Yet, tact calms the action down and soothes
agitated nerves. A tactful person is one who would most likely
put people at ease and stabilize any shaky situation. People are
appreciative of tact but are mesmerized by charisma just like
the children of Hamelin when they were magically drawn to Pied
Piper.
Charisma has been a characteristic of some leaders who had
crowds, mobs, or groups following them. People usually feel
strongly attracted to a charismatic person.
The idea of charisma, as a God-given gift or talent, first found
its place in theology. Charismata (Greek for "spiritual gifts")
was spoken of by Christians during the early apostolic age when
this was considered a sign of grace. Later the word charisma was
used in describing some political leaders and popular people in
the public eye. Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King, F. D.
Roosevelt, Leon Trotsky, Adolf Hitler, President Kennedy,
President Reagan, and President Clinton had charisma. As the
examples of these people show, charisma has little to do with
morals or being good or evil. Even today, in the entertainment
arts, people attract more attention if they have charisma.
Charisma compared to tact is an asset of the fa