Scientists: Charismatic and Attractive? Get Ready for Career Failure!

If you thought charisma was the key to career success and a weapon for conquering the business world, it’s time to rethink. New research from universities in Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels has shocked experts: charisma and physical attractiveness don’t guarantee success.

If you thought charisma was the key to career success and a weapon for conquering the business world, it’s time to rethink. New research from universities in Ghent, Antwerp, and Brussels has shocked experts: charisma and physical attractiveness don’t guarantee success.

In the early 2000s, we believed that being smart and competent was enough for career advancement. But now we know that charisma and charm are essential for successful leaders. It’s said that attractive people earn more, but recent studies challenge this assumption.

Researchers surveyed leaders, assessing their charisma based on four criteria: courage, imagination, behavioral brightness, and independence. The results were surprising: the most successful leaders weren’t necessarily the most charismatic or the most ordinary.

Charismatic leaders struggle in crisis situations, being great at inspiring but poor at organizing. On the other hand, those without outstanding charisma often struggle with strategic planning and complex situations.

Additional studies from Cambridge and Essex show that physical attractiveness can hinder career advancement — attractive academics are taken less seriously. Interestingly, unconventional and less attractive individuals sometimes earn more than their more "attractive" peers.

The takeaway is clear: in business, as in life, it’s important not to be too flashy but also not to remain in the shadows. It’s better to be average and predictable than to try to be a superstar with unreliable charisma.