Executive Charisma: Six Steps to Mastering the Art of Leadership

Rating:
Summary: Very Well Done!
Review: Corporate America would be 100 times a more pleasant arena if executives would live by this book.

D.A. Benton outlines all the key characteristics that are necessary for effective communication in today's business environment.

With increased numbers of firms moving towards a learning organization, personal accountability is in great demand. It would be a wise move during change efforts to utilize this material as a tool for executive development.

Rating:
Summary: Charisma In Six Steps for International Executives
Review: D.A. Benton's Executive Charisma is the sort of book you might hate to love. Just like her previous books How to Think Like a C.E.O., and How to Act Like a C.E.O., this is a quick-reading, bullet-pointed, favorite at airport book stores around the world. But despite the initial appearances, Benton is an experienced executive coach who delivers much more than the simplistic titles and the dumbed-down prose seem to promise at first glance.

Everyone knows that recovering from addiction requires 12 steps, but Benton has reduced being an effective corporate leader to just six. As you read Benton's research and real-life anecdotes about such steps as, "stand tall, straight, and smile," or the slightly more challenging "slow down, shut up, and listen," you might constantly find yourself thinking, "I already know all this; this is common sense; or, this is too simple to be of any value to me." Just wait. By naming and then re-framing certain key success behaviors in a totally non-threatening way Benton's book may subtly change your perception of yourself and others. Suddenly you will notice these key behaviors everywhere; or perhaps worse, you will notice their absence everywhere. Most importantly, you may find that her key ideas are like cheerful pop songs, once you've heard them you can't get out of your head. They may actually start helping you remember to change the way you behave - which is the point after all.

This is a great book to share with leadership "high potentials," or to give people struggling with particular success behaviors. Especially useful in our Turkish business context is Benton's step two : "expect and give acceptance to maintain self esteem." This advice alone is worth an entire volume. Readers in Asia and the Middle East also need to take some of Benton's suggestions with a grain of salt. Her experience is almost entirely grounded in the American business culture, and as a result, some of her suggestions -- such as "ask questions and ask favors" -- may have slightly different impacts for us than they do for her target audience of American middle managers.

Rating:
Summary: Charisma In Six Steps for International Executives
Review: D.A. Benton's Executive Charisma is the sort of book you might hate to love. Just like her previous books How to Think Like a C.E.O., and How to Act Like a C.E.O., this is a quick-reading, bullet-pointed, favorite at airport book stores around the world. But despite the initial appearances, Benton is an experienced executive coach who delivers much more than the simplistic titles and the dumbed-down prose seem to promise at first glance.

Everyone knows that recovering from addiction requires 12 steps, but Benton has reduced being an effective corporate leader to just six. As you read Benton's research and real-life anecdotes about such steps as, "stand tall, straight, and smile," or the slightly more challenging "slow down, shut up, and listen," you might constantly find yourself thinking, "I already know all this; this is common sense; or, this is too simple to be of any value to me." Just wait. By naming and then re-framing certain key success behaviors in a totally non-threatening way Benton's book may subtly change your perception of yourself and others. Suddenly you will notice these key behaviors everywhere; or perhaps worse, you will notice their absence everywhere. Most importantly, you may find that her key ideas are like cheerful pop songs, once you've heard them you can't get out of your head. They may actually start helping you remember to change the way you behave - which is the point after all.

This is a great book to share with leadership "high potentials," or to give people struggling with particular success behaviors. Especially useful in our Turkish business context is Benton's step two : "expect and give acceptance to maintain self esteem." This advice alone is worth an entire volume. Readers in Asia and the Middle East also need to take some of Benton's suggestions with a grain of salt. Her experience is almost entirely grounded in the American business culture, and as a result, some of her suggestions -- such as "ask questions and ask favors" -- may have slightly different impacts for us than they do for her target audience of American middle managers.

Rating:
Summary: Leaders lead - and this book tells you WHY and HOW
Review: Debra Benton once more provides an insightful and meaningful tool that helps demystify what it takes to be not only an effective executive, but a leader in the true sense of the word. Drawing from her own experience, and a wealth of personal and business contacts that include some of the most powerful and influential CEOs in America, Debra's advice passes the only true test: it works. I think I understand something about leadership, but this work puts it into full perspective, reminds me of what is important, and best of all, extends into every facet of daily life. It is one of only a very few 'how to' books that I would pass on to my colleagues, business contacts, family, and friends. Her writing is clear and exemplary; her subject learned and the delivery so very effective: a short read for long results.

Michael Dessoye
President & CEO, Advanced Enterprise IM Solutions, Inc.

Rating:
Summary: Leaders lead - and this book tells you WHY and HOW
Review: Debra Benton once more provides an insightful and meaningful tool that helps demystify what it takes to be not only an effective executive, but a leader in the true sense of the word. Drawing from her own experience, and a wealth of personal and business contacts that include some of the most powerful and influential CEOs in America, Debra's advice passes the only true test: it works. I think I understand something about leadership, but this work puts it into full perspective, reminds me of what is important, and best of all, extends into every facet of daily life. It is one of only a very few 'how to' books that I would pass on to my colleagues, business contacts, family, and friends. Her writing is clear and exemplary; her subject learned and the delivery so very effective: a short read for long results.

Michael Dessoye
President & CEO, Advanced Enterprise IM Solutions, Inc.

Rating:
Summary: Exploit Your Charisma, Your Personal Key to the Top
Review: If you are an executive, or aspire to be one, read this book. Debra Benton simplifies the mystery of charisma into six practical, proven steps that anyone can immediately apply.

"Executive Charisma" is full of time - tested advice from the top business leaders of our time. It is a fast read, perfectly suited for busy people committed to life-long development.

As a practicing executive, I witness first-hand how top leaders relate to others on a daily basis. Those who know how to access and apply the 'soft' leadership skills are the winners, period. No matter how bright and classicaly educated a leader is, those who rise to the top have mastered the art of charisma.

Read Benton's book and learn how easy it is to turn up the juice on your executive charisma.

Rating:
Summary: Exploit Your Charisma, Your Personal Key to the Top
Review: If you are an executive, or aspire to be one, read this book. Debra Benton simplifies the mystery of charisma into six practical, proven steps that anyone can immediately apply.

"Executive Charisma" is full of time - tested advice from the top business leaders of our time. It is a fast read, perfectly suited for busy people committed to life-long development.

As a practicing executive, I witness first-hand how top leaders relate to others on a daily basis. Those who know how to access and apply the 'soft' leadership skills are the winners, period. No matter how bright and classicaly educated a leader is, those who rise to the top have mastered the art of charisma.

Read Benton's book and learn how easy it is to turn up the juice on your executive charisma.

Rating:
Summary: A Good Read!
Review: Remember everything your mother told you. Stand up straight. Pull your shoulders back. Be outgoing. Smile. If you've forgotten these lessons, this is for you. It's not what you know, it's who you know - and what they think and feel about you - that makes all the difference in your career. Be human. Ask for favors. Ask for information. Pitch in. Have a sense of humor. Speak slowly and listen carefully. Author D.A. Benton's presumably deep, probing interviews with 500 executives convinced her that charisma isn't inborn. She believes that everyone can learn to be charismatic. Just follow the six steps that can turn even the most repulsive excuse for a manager into a charming, charismatic executive. So, read this and practice. There's no harm in it, and it might do some good. However, while recommending this basic manual, suspects that the nature of charisma is a bit like the way a jazz musician explained the nature of jazz - if you have to ask what it is, you'll never know.

Rating:
Summary: "Let your light so shine before men...."
Review: The word "charisma" is derived from the Greek word "kharisma," meaning divine gift, and used in reference to someone who has an exceptional ability to attract the attention and devotion of substantial numbers of people. Throughout history, some despicable people (e.g. Adolph Hitler) have demonstrated the power of charisma but we tend to explain it, rather, as a positive, desirable quality, associating it with those whom we admire, respect, and trust (e.g. Mohandas Gandhi). In this context, of special interest to me is Jim Collins' assertion that many of the CEOs of the good-to-great companies he studied are not charismatic.

According to information provided by Princeton University Press which published Search for a Corporate Savior: The Irrational Quest for Corporate CEOs, Rakesh Khurana shares what he learned from a rigorous research of the hiring and firing of CEOs at over 850 of America's largest companies and from extensive interviews with CEOs, corporate board members, and consultants at executive search firms. "He explains the basic mechanics of the selection process and how hiring priorities have changed with the rise of shareholder activism. Khurana argues that the market for CEOs, which we often assume runs on cool calculation and the impersonal forces of supply and demand, is culturally determined and too frequently inefficient. Its emphasis on charisma artificially limits the number of candidates considered, giving them extraordinary leverage to demand high salaries and power. It also raises expectations and increases the chance that a CEO will be fired for failing to meet shareholders' hopes. The result is corporate instability and too little attention to long-term strategy."

All this is shared to create a context for comments on Benton's most recent book. In it, she offers a six-step process to develop "executive charisma: Be the first to initiate; expect and give acceptance to maintain esteem (yours as well as others'); ask questions and ask favors; stand tall, straight, and smile; be human, humorous, and hands-on; and finally, slow down, shut up, and listen. Obviously Benton agrees with Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) and Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People) who affirm the same values, as do more recent authors such as Jim O'Toole, Stephen Covey, Daniel Goleman, John Maxwell, and David Maister.

Merely listing the six steps in no way detracts from Benton's thorough analysis of each. She correctly insists that all should be developed sequentially; they are separate but interdependent. For that reason, their full development should be carefully integrated. As my reviews of her previous books indicate, her titles can be somewhat misleading. For example, when explaining how to think and act like a CEO, she is NOT suggesting that if you read those two books, you will become a CEO. The same is true of the title of this book. Benton does not suggest that by reading it you will become charismatic. If I understand her correctly, her purpose rather is to suggest how to increase what is generally referred to as "personal magnetism": that is, becoming more attractive to others by earning their admiration respect, and trust. My own experience indicates that charismatic people have an inherent authenticity in terms of their beliefs, values, and behavior. Charlatans also have some glitter but lack integrity and are inevitably found out.

One other point I wish to stress (on Benton's behalf) is that she did not write this book only for executives unless the word's meaning is extended to include anyone who takes action (executes) and/or calls upon others to do so. Benton's six-step process has obvious relevance to the world of commerce but also to education, athletics (especially youth sports), public service, healthcare, and (yes) religious organizations. There seem to be two quite different forms of charisma: cosmetic (of short duration such as a sparkler) and organic (of extended duration such as the bunsen burner). The former is expedient. The latter is authentic. The real deal. The right stuff. Call it whatever you will.

Not everyone can develop a dazzling personality but, as Benton asserts, everyone can become worthy of others' admiration respect, and trust. And that is as true of the CEO of a major corporation as it is of the volunteer who coaches that CEO's daughter or granddaughter on a youth soccer team.

Rating:
Summary: Life changing stuff!
Review: This book is unquestionably the best organized, to the point, and clearly stated book Debra has written. In this book, Debra offers the "keys to the kingdom" for maximizing personal presence. Folks who take the time to learn and use the material in this book will undoubtedly finish the book a better person than when they started. Considering the positive feedback that I myself have received since applying the techniques in the book, there's no question of its immense value.