"This article written by Paul Graham in 2017 suggests that people who are strong but lack charisma are often disliked and targeted for criticism. However, Graham argues that these individuals could actually be the most suitable candidates for their jobs. Being subjected to criticism sometimes shows that a person is not the wrong person for the job, but quite the opposite. He states that this situation is part of human nature and there is no solution.

---

# Charisma / Power (The Power of Criticism and Strong Individuals Lacking Charisma)

January 2017

People who are powerful but uncharismatic will tend to be disliked. Their power makes them a target for criticism that they don't have the charisma to disarm. That was Hillary Clinton's problem. It also tends to be a problem for any CEO who is more of a builder than a schmoozer. And yet the builder-type CEO is(like Hillary) probably the best person for the job.

I don't think there is any solution to this problem. It's human nature. The best we can do is to recognize that it's happening, and to understand that being a magnet for criticism is sometimes a sign not that someone is the wrong person for a job, but that they're the right one.

---

Relevant Keywords: charisma and power, power without charisma, charisma in leadership, Hillary Clinton charisma, CEO charisma, criticism and power, builder-type CEO, understanding charisma and power dynamics"