Charisma: [a] magnetic and compelling personal power, especially as attributed to leaders who gain the enthusiastic support of large numbers of people. — Gage Canadian Dictionary

When our societies face difficult issues, we often look for extraordinary leaders whose personal appeal is also extraordinary. But at what point might the individual’s personal appeal actually inhibit him or her from becoming an effective leader? What if the leader’s intentions are simply to get on with the job of constructive social change as opposed to having to deal with the public’s idealistic view and expectations of the leader? The current story of Jean Charest serves as an important case study through which we can examine universal issues related to leadership.

The world has seen many charismatic leaders. Names such as Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi immediately come to mind. Former prime minister Pierre Trudeau was frequently described as being a charismatic leader, especially during the early days of “Trudeaumania.” A charismatic person is alluring, appealing, and attractive. However, each of these adjectives requires a more in-depth definition. For example, who is being allured and for what reason? What are the personal traits of the individual that appeal to groups? What is meant by attractive? Is the attraction to the individual’s physical looks, words and ideas, personal values, or something else? What is the potential burden of the description charismatic?

Shortly before Jean Charest announced his decision to seek the Quebec Liberal leadership, the Parti Québécois youth wing held a meeting in which Charest’s foray into Quebec politics became a topic of considerable speculation and debate. Some of the youth delegates indicated that they felt Charest was little more than an “image” created by the media. A youth delegate from Quebec City, Louis Martin O’Neil, said “I can’t wait for Jean Charest to make the jump to Quebec—then we’ll show up Jean Charest for what he is— a bloated helium balloon devoid of ideas.

O’Neil’s comments illustrate a side of the debate that perceives Charest, rightly or wrongly, as a man steeped in popular appeal, but short on meaningful and substantial ideas and policies. The péquiste position is particularly interesting if one considers the appeal of their own leader, Lucien Bouchard. Just a few short years ago it seemed Bouchard had cornered the charisma market in Quebec as he swept into power from Ottawa. Few people ever suspected that someone else would take the same path and challenge Bouchard’s supremacy.

How many such leaders can one province produce? When it comes to Quebec the answer seems to be quite a few. Examples from earlier generations include Maurice Duplessis and Jean Lesage. In the past generation Quebec has produced a number of charismatic leaders: Pierre Trudeau, Robert Bourassa, René Lévesque, Lucien Bouchard, and now Jean Charest. This list of leaders who had a significant magnetic appeal among the populace may illustrate what some observers suggest is an important dimension in the uniqueness of Quebec political culture.

John Fraser, the director of the Centre for Research and Information on Canada, proposes the theory that charismatic leadership is enhanced in minority societies such as Quebec. He believes that in a minority society, politics is a field of sufficient importance and challenge that it attracts more of the “best and brightest” than would normally enter public life; more so than in a more secure society such as the United States. Whatever the reason, this phenomenon is important as it reminds us that leaders who come into power on a wave of public enthusiasm have a window of great opportunity. For Charest this may mean an opportunity to get across his federalist vision and his program of constitutional and economic reform. However, once the initial public enthusiasm subsides, it may mean that Charest’s vision will come under greater public scrutiny, and his ideas will increasingly have to stand on their own. His vision will be tested when it is no longer enhanced by the patina of charisma. Charisma, mass appeal, and personal magnetism are important issues to be examined in order to understand not only successful leaders but the public perceptions and reactions that lead to their being in power.

The Business of Political Leadership
Many sectors of society are dependent on an effective leadership model. Politics and business especially are very much alike in this regard. In the Autumn 1995 issue of Business Quarterly, the question of leadership in business, in particular that of the charismatic business leader, was explored in an article entitled “Charismatic Leadership: Submission or Liberation?” by Jane M. Howell and Bruce J. Avolio. The article underscored the issues of leadership and raised issues that show significant correlations between politics and business.

Discussion and Activity
1. Based on what you have learned about Jean Charest do you feel he fits the criteria of a charismatic leader?

2. Research the life of a charismatic Canadian leader from Canada’s past. Examples in Canadian politics include Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Pierre Trudeau, Jean Lesage, and René Lévesque.

3. What impact do you think television has had on the need for charisma on the part of a politician?

4. In your opinion, what is the relationship between an effective leader and a charismatic leader? Can you think of effective political leaders who have not necessarily been charismatic?

5. In what ways might leadership in business and leadership in politics be similar? To answer this question, you may wish to locate and read the article from Business Quarterly.