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