"Aura of command"

[asterroc]

I've often heard individuals described as having an "aura of command", "aura of power", or "aura of leadership". Such people are described as having a magnetic personality, of drawing people to them, of entering a room and everyone immediately snaps to attention, of having their every word paid attention to.

I have never met such a person. Do these people, does this quality, really exist? Or is it just a literary hyperbole that people have bought into and pretend exists in real life? Is it just really rare and that's why I haven't encountered it? Is it really common and it's just been the luck of the draw that I haven't met such people? Or am I just insensitive to it?

Comments

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

The closest thing that comes to mind right now is when I was in the military, where the senior person in the room/situation was generally looked to as, well, the leader. But that's not quite the same thing as what you're asking, really.

[zandperl.livejournal.com]

Right, that's like how students look to the teacher as a leader. There it's respect given b/c it HAS to be given.