The Emergence of Charismatic Business Leadership

The author of Giants of Enterprise examines the evolving role of business leaders in the 21st century—with essential lessons from today's trailblazers.

In The Emergence of Charismatic Business Leadership, Harvard Business School Emeritus professor Richard S. Tedlow reveals how a handful of individuals have transformed modern-day leadership, making charisma essential to the role. He looks at leaders like Oprah Winfrey, Elon Musk, and Steve Jobs: three pioneers who found success by innovating their management style and using their charisma to champion their vision.

Through Tedlow's in-depth accounts of modern business history, we see how former outsiders attain power and influence, and how charismatic leadership enables the creation of revolutionary products like the battery electric vehicle and the smart phone. But Tedlow also considers the careers of people who used their charisma to mislead, such as Jeff Skilling of Enron and Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos. In this thorough examination, Tedlow shows how charisma, when combined with genuine character, can get you far.