When you think of the most charismatic person you know, my guess is it’s someone who is confident, positive, widely read, engaging and encouraging. They seem to light up a room when they come in and everything is a little bit dimmer when they leave.
Sometimes people say charisma is something you’re either born with or you’re not. I think it’s even simpler that that. Yes, it may be easier for some people, but the reality is that most people who are perceived as having charisma do certain things that create that perception.
So, here are my Top 5 hallmarks of a charismatic person:
- Confidence. They don’t apologize for being themselves. They embrace it. They don’t think they’re too short, too tall, too fat, too thin, too bald, too much hair, too old, too young. They’ve stopped all that nonsense cold. Charismatic people know that the best version of me, is me! So they embrace it. And then they own it. Confidence is contagious. That’s charismatic.
- Ask questions. One of the most noticeable attributes of a charismatic person is that they make you feel like you are special. They are really INTO you. They don’t just rattle on about how awesome they are, they focus on you and ask you questions about yourself. . They ask open ended questions (more on that in a later post) and wait eagerly for your answer. Get really good as asking questions. That’s charismatic.
- Listen well. Another striking quality of charismatic people is how well they listen. When you are talking, they are not busy formulating answers or thinking of the next question (remember, they are confident), instead they are 100% focused in on you as you answer their question. They listen for ways to connect and relate. Become a good listener. That’s charismatic.
- Have something interesting to say. A key element of a charismatic person is how they seem to always have an engaging tidbit to share. They pay attention to the world, and people are interested in their observations. They read books, blogs, and newspapers. They listen to podcasts and radio and even occasionally go to movies or watch TV. So when it’s time to talk, they are interesting. That’s charismatic.
- Laugh at yourself. Don’t take yourself so seriously! Charismatic people understand the power of laughter and the first joke is always on them. So learn how to be funny and start with yourself. Look for the humor in daily life and share. Everyone loves to laugh, and charismatic people lead and leave with laughter. That’s charismatic.
Can you tell that the magic secret to charisma is really, Seek to be interested more than interesting. That’s it. That’s the secret. All these things I’ve listed are really ways to show you are interested in others. Simple. Easy to practice. You can do it. That’s charismatic.
This is Day 2 of 31 Days of Powerful Communication Skills for Women. You can read all of my #31Days posts here. And check out The Nester’s #Write31Days blog for other great 31 day series.
Question: What do you think makes someone charismatic? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave your comments below.
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