How To Be Charismatic
From the Article:
How To Be Charismatic
– Relax (meditate if helpful).
– Look confident (by feeling confident, having positive confident body language, and behaving as an equal to others).
– Get in touch with your emotions (and with other people’s).
Be genuine.
– Match your body language to your speech (this tends to happen naturally if you are being genuine).
– Think before you speak (less is more – silence is fine when you have nothing to say).
– Speak with conviction (including the way you say things, facial expressions, body language – see Mehrabian’s theory)
– Treat people as they want to be treated (notably listen actively and make others people feel special).
– Charisma must come from within you as an individual – individuality is vital.
– Everyone can be charismatic.
– Have a message, which can be controversial.
– Acting and toastmaster classes help.
– Be honest and bold, but don’t offend people.
– Charisma used for wrong reasons tends not to succeed.
Nikki Owen defines charisma by way of five significant personal attributes, summarised briefly here. Her development model is able to measure and develop each of these elements. As such she seems to have devised a logical, predictable and reliable way to understand, measure and develop personal charisma.
1. High Self-Esteem – in other words self-confidence, inner-calm, self-reliance, independence.
Charismatic people have high self-esteem – which can be particular to an environment. This conveys confidence and authenticity. When you have high self-esteem you are relaxed about exposing your true self. Levels of self-esteem can vary with situation, so this element is one of several which is contextual. Self-esteem, and thereby charisma, can vary according to situation.
2. A Driving Force – in other words purpose, personal values, principles.
Charismatic people have an underlying sense of purpose, a set of values – principles important to them – which drive their decisions and actions. Values and purpose help drive and motivate behaviour consistently and strongly, which others see to be dynamic and enthusiastic. A strong driving force can also be contextual. Many people are strongly driven and charismatic in a certain direction or field, but not in others.
3. Sensory Awareness – in other words empathy, emotional intelligence (EQ)
Charismatic people are aware of their own feelings and the feelings and moods of others. They are in touch with their emotions and are uninhibited about showing them. This makes them expressive and compelling in the way they communicate and engage with others.
4. A Vision – in other words visualization, belief, mental picture, positive attitude towards aim. Charismatic people have a strong vision of what they want. This is different to driving force or purpose. The point here is the mental vision of the purpose. To imagine and believe the aim – to see it happening in your mind. This creates a strong energy of intent that others can feel, and often see and hear too. Positive attitudes help produce results. Having a strong mental picture of your aims tends to reinforce your own actions and the responses and actions of others in the direction of the vision.
5. High Energy – in other words passion, enthusiasm, commitment, determination.
Exhibiting high personal positive energy builds and maintains a positive energetic response in others. Positive energy makes others feel good. They become energised, feel valued and productive, and so respond even more strongly to the source – the charismatic person.
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