According to the Harvard Business Review website, leaders should watch out for warning signs of negative changes in their behaviour. A leader's charisma passes through the following phases when changing from positive to negative.
5 phases of losing leadership charisma
1. Some followers begin to feel that the leader no longer wants to answer questions and acts as if they knew everything better themselves.
2. Followers start asking fewer questions in order not to be rejected or ridiculed. The leader starts to be surrounded only by yes men.
3. Based on the praise and admiration shown by the yes men, the leader feels more confident and creates their own version of reality which becomes increasingly distorted.
4. Followers are passive, just waiting for orders. Decision making takes longer, teamwork deteriorates and people start leaving the team. The leader begins to feel that if anything should be done properly, they must do it themselves.
5. Followers do only the bare essentials without any enthusiasm. They have lost interest in discussing and listening. Productivity falls and creativity is at a low ebb. The originally shared vision is now only the leader's vision.
If a leader wants to prevent the loss of their charisma, they should realise it is not only about them but mainly about those who follow them. The relationship with followers can be maintained by a willingness to listen to feedback and dissenting views.
Every charismatic leader should focus on their way of leadership in the cultural context of the organisation. The less the organisation promotes open communication, the easier it may be to lose one's charisma.
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