The Magician

Who is the Magician? Are we talking about David Blaine or Penn and Teller? No, the Magician archetype is a prominent story in leadership.

Previously, we looked at the Creator Archetype. This is the story I often bring to the table when I interact with people or even as I sit and work on my business in the confines of my home office. A second archetype that is equally strong for me is the Magician archetype. We will review the characteristics of this archetype in this post.

As a reminder, or if you didn’t read the previous post, when psychologist Carl Jung developed the idea of archetypes, which are “stories” about human nature and are familiar across all humanity, he believed that we were all born with what he called a “collective consciousness,” meaning that we interact with each other using traits and behaviors common to all humanity.

Modern psychologists have studied this concept and created and validated several archetypes or patterns one can identify in one’s personality. Using this concept, we will look at a leader who shows a strong tendency towards being a “Magician,” one of twelve archetypes.

The following is a composite of magician leaders and follows a general description pattern.

The Magician

The leader was interested in transformation. He was super confident that his ideas would transform communities and people. He had thought about these things for a long time, using his Creator archetype to recognize patterns. Now, it was time to act and get things moving positively and without hesitation. He was persuasive. Many, who were skeptical initially, were now “buying” the ideas he proposed. This, of course, was pleasing to the Magician Archetype. He was driven by the need to transform, believing that should he and the team be able to make these transformations, it would not only help those affected it would help his standing as well.

When proposing the idea, He would often speak in mystical terms. “The people who participate in this program will be transformed. It will change their life, and it will be good for them and the community as well,” would be the pitch he would often use. And indeed, the programs were good, and the participants in the program were often transformed. His intentions were noble and good, and one could not help but be swept up in the excitement of his persuasive speeches and proposals.

He often talked about stories he had read or heard of where people would go from “rags to riches.” he believed in those stories and often used the word “miracle” in describing their journey. “The real miracle of the story is that he accomplished everything in a very short period,” he might say about an achiever, or “It was a miracle that she was able to get that done even when everything was against her.”

To his family, he talked about how “If you set your mind to it, you can do anything!” He truly believed that the power of the mind was only hindered by the thoughts and beliefs that were interjected through a lifetime of bad advice and emotional trauma. He had learned that the mind was capable of controlling and creating anything a person could imagine. If you wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, neuroscientist, or biochemist, nothing could stop you as long as you wanted to do it and put all your energy towards that goal.

Because he believed so much in the power of transformation, he was a loyal friend and supporter. He gravitated towards those younger than him, thinking and hoping his message was inspirational. His few friends found him to be trustworthy and supportive, as he believed in their own stories and their own transformational personas.

Ultimately, he would never stop believing his dreams and ideas could come true.

The Shadows

Impatience with those who didn’t buy into his vision or proposals was a hallmark of the shadow side of his Magician Archetype. People who needed help understanding his ideas or dreams were often characterized as not sophisticated or educated enough to see the big picture. He was often annoyed by them and cast them aside in his judgemental attitude towards his detractors.

He appreciated that details were essential to success, but he often left them to others. To his detriment, avoiding details would lead to bumps in his road to achievement. He thought that getting to the crux of the issue was the most important thing, yet ignoring or avoiding issues, especially “people” issues, would get him in trouble.

His relentless push to get his brilliant idea or program moving would be couched as his own, alienating those who contributed as well. This arrogance and impatience with others often rear its head in essential situations.

Thinking

The brilliant, inspirational, and motivational leader is admired by many. They have a message to sell and promote. The Magician archetype is a prominent story brought to the table in these situations. As a leader, the positive aspects of the Magician are helpful. The Magician leader must be careful not to become arrogant or to not consider new ideas that can be a part of the original transformational idea that he proposed or is creating.

The Magician can often become so enamored with their own idea that they become the first and non-movable believer. Thinking that others do not understand should be the first sign a Magician is going down the wrong path.

Do you find yourself a Magician? Are you compelled and motivated by transformation? Are you one who believes that you can do anything with the right attitude, circumstance, and tools? How does that help what you are trying to accomplish?

All of the archetypes can show up in a person. All of them are available, but most people are more robust in one or several than the others. The Magician is suited for leadership because of the transformational and positive belief in miracles they bring to situations.

What is your leadership archetype? Are you a Creator, or do you show up with a different pattern when leading and interacting with people? Knowing your archetypes is a step toward greater awareness of your ability to lead and function. I am certified as a CultureTalk facilitator and can work with you to determine your archetype and how you might use it in your business or organization.

It starts with an assessment that takes less than 20 minutes, followed by an hour-long session where we walk through your results. Afterward, we can discuss how a similar check might work to determine your organization’s archetype or culture. Please email me at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com.