"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

[cartoonmayhem.livejournal.com]

Apparently not only does Steve Jobs have this aura of personality, he has a "reality distortion field" that leaves people positively bowled over. I have yet to meet somebody who has such a cult of personality. But maybe it's because when I was in high school there was a student religious leader—of college student age whom a bunch of girls my age just swooned over and brought me to him in a "you have to meet him *gush* manner. Well, I met him and I was quite unimpressed. It left me skeptical and cynical.
Incidentally, I cannot be hypnotized either. People have tried and can't do it.
I also have another question: do you people who are atheists are less likely to be attracted to a cult of personality type than the religious minded?