The ability to unite or divide people just through the power of your personality, that is to become larger than life, are key attributes of those with a polarizing personality.

These individuals tend to attract followers who form a cult of personality around them.   Detractors, also form strong emotional opinions.  For those with a polarizing personality, there is typically no middle ground.  

Love ’em or Hate ’em

Polarization is about migration to one pole, negative or the other positive.  There is no middle. 

For some leaders or a well known public figures, using the sheer power of personality to capture a large group of supporters in agreement with their clear and usually absorbing views, is imperative.

The combination of characteristics or qualities forming their distinctive character drive support.  Forceful communication and clarity of purpose are hallmarks of their methodology. 

Good leaders or Bad

Polarizing personalities can be used to support a leaders agenda.  Some will view the agenda as good and some will be diametrically opposed.  Typically though there is little middle ground (i.e., it’s okay or I can live with that usually do not apply).

Leaders who leverage their personality to enable the exercise of power can be very effective but typically this approach is dictatorial and one-sided.  This means it is only sustainable while the leader continues to polarize a majority of the followers. 

Dissatisfaction with the pole (positive or negative) to which the populous is being driven ultimately ends the influence and the polarizing leader succumbs to defeat.