Myth one: You either have it or you don’t
Long believed to be an innate, magical quality - the original Greek root χάρισμα refers to a gift of divine grace - charisma has in recent years come under the scrutiny of sociologists, psychologists, and cognitive, behavioural, and even neuroscientists who have found that, far from being an innate, magical quality, charisma is simply the result of learned behaviours.
Science and technology have taken charisma apart, figured it out, and turned it into an applied science. In fact, in controlled laboratory experiments, researchers were able to raise and lower people’s levels of charisma as if they were turning a dial just by asking them to adopt specific (charismatic) behaviours.
Myth two: Introverts can’t be charismatic
You don’t have to change your personality to be charismatic - you can actually be a very charismatic introvert. In Western society, we place such emphasis on the skills and abilities of extroverts that introverts can end up feeling defective and uncool. But introversion can actually be an advantage for certain forms of charisma.
In reality, introversion can be a major asset for certain forms of charisma, because they feel no compulsion to be in the spotlight, which allows them to effectively implement many likability techniques.
Myth three: You have to change who you are
Charisma is a skill that can be learned. There are verbal and nonverbal tools you can practise that will give you a significant charisma boost. For instance, you can improve your posture, change the intonation of your voice and practise taking up space – you can be the ‘big gorilla’.
What is the big gorilla? Imagine inflating as if you were trying to double in size. Assuming a strong, confident physical posture will make you feel more confident and more powerful. As confidence rises, your body language adapts accordingly. This gives you yet another biochemical boost, and the cycle builds upon itself. Keep practicing, and confident body language will become second nature.
Learn more about charisma, and how to master it, at Olivia’s upcoming masterclass on Tuesday 20 September 2022.
