Can we lead without charisma or money?

Sadly, I would say that it is absolutely possible to lead without charisma. I think it is called "bullying." How many of us have worked for a boss who is totally lacking in people skills or charisma? Plenty, I would say! A bully will play on the fact that people need that particular job and will then abuse that worker's needs by brow-beating them into doing as they are told. Unfortunately, I have worked for someone exactly like that, so, I speak from experience.

The monetary aspect of leadership is a more open playing-field. Some people are extremely money driven and if they are not sufficiently well paid, will opt to leave in search of better remuneration elsewhere. However, there are those whose chosen field is less about money and more about making a valuable contribution to society in their particular role. These are the people who will often put up with inadequate salaries because they love what they do and genuinely care about the people they are supporting.

As the world becomes more and more competitive, innovation is the key in so many different arenas. If there is no investment being made for the development of new products or the upgrading of existing lines, a competitor can easily overtake an institution's position in the market-place and this can lead to financial difficulties which may ultimately result in staff redundancies. So, in my view, a company needs to pay (at least) fair wages and invest in their product in order to move forward and provide job security.