Strategies of a Charismatic Leader

A charismatic leader is one whose personality and political way of life persuades the people of his/her country to listen to him/her. Charismatic leaders include Ghandi, Nasser, Nkrumah, Quaddafi, Castro, Sukamo, Hussein, Tito, Mao, and George Bush. All of these leaders have a quality about them that makes people listen to them and take directions. The five strategies charismatic leaders use to reinforce their charisma are: 1) the "VIP" strategy, 2) the regional liberation strategy, 3) the development strategy, 4) the conspicuous-process of strategy, and 5) the elimination of "Competing-Prophets" strategy.

The "VIP" strategy is where a charismatic leader will use his/her name recognition, status, power, and position to persuade the people to listen to him/her. For example, followers of Ghandi may be persuaded to burn down houses in a village simply because of Ghandi's famousness. They know that he is a great leader and a "VIP" so they will do anything he tells them to do.

The regional liberation strategy is when a charismatic leader will promise the people that he/she will "set them free" from colonial rule or dictatorship. Followers believe this and they desperately want freedom, so they listen to him/her. An example of this is Ghandi freeing his people from India's dictator. This movement gave him more charisma.

The development strategy is when a charismatic leader tells his/her people that if they listen to him/her then once elected/or followed he/she will "develop" the country (economically, infrastructure-wise, or politically). An example of this would be if a politician told the citizens of New York City that he would build a Disney World in the city if they elected him as their next mayor.