Followers attribute authority to charismatic leaders through their faith and belief in them and in their mission. Charismatic authority in organizations involves an interaction of leader, followers, and moral order; in the eyes of the followers, the leader personifies that order. Authority must come from below because the ultimate decision to cooperate rests with the employee. True charismatic leaders are able to place themselves and their mission beyond the realm of the ordinary and thus extract extraordinary effort, dedication, and faith from followers. These leaders are persuasive through the use of a modified enthymeme, one that adapts the audience to itself rather than adapting itself to the audience. Charismatic leadership effects its rhetorical appeal as much through the leader's persona as through the rational force of logical form. The ancient Roman concept of "vir bonus" or "good man" was extrinsic to the speaking situation; it was an accumulated perception based on a record of civil service. The Roman orator appearing to have strong moral character was able to persuade on the basis of this "good man" status. Similarly, the charismatic organizational leader embodies the aspirations and values of the organization, and with his or her character provides the persuasion that elicits obedience and commitment. This rhetorical perspective should facilitate critical analysis of the ethics at work in contemporary organizational culture. (SRT)