Wondering what the qualities of charismatic people are? Here are the six primary characteristics that make them stand out.
What is charisma?
Charisma is a leadership trait that compels attractiveness which inspires devotion and loyalty in others.
Research conducted by the University of Toronto shows that charisma is a mixture of two dimensions; “influence” and “affability”.
They defined influence as leadership ability and strength of presence.
Affability, on the other hand, was defined as the quality of being pleasant and approachable.
According to SkillsYouNeed, charisma is the quality of attracting, charming, and influencing others.
So yes, someone with charisma is likely to make a good leader.
Here are the seven primary qualities of charismatic people and how you can develop your charisma.
1. They are self-confident
Self-confidence is a common trait among charismatic people.
They strongly believe in their vision and ideas and remain unfazed amid challenges and rejections.
They firmly believe that to successfully get others to believe in them and follow them; they must first believe in themselves.
Instead of trying to be someone else, they try to know themselves better and strive to be the best version of themselves.
Yes, charismatic people are optimistic, consistent, and enthusiastic; and are comfortable with who they are.
2. They speak clearly
Charismatic leaders understand that the ability to clearly and effectively communicate their vision to others is equally as important as the vision itself.
After all, of what use is having a great idea, if you cannot pitch it to others and get them to share your vision.
They understand that to sell their vision to people effectively; they need to send their message across clearly.
Nobody appreciates people who beat around the bush, as that shows a disregard for their time.
So, charismatic people can communicate in simple yet persuasive words and body language.
Also, to ensure that their vision or message is communicated effectively and that they connect with their audience, they confidently maintain good eye contact, hand gestures, and good body posture.
They are very articulate and confident with their words. This helps them gain the loyalty and trust of their audience.
3. They are active listeners
As part of their effective communication skills, charismatic people recognize that there is a time to talk, and there is also a time to listen.
When they are listening to others’ views or opinions, they give their undivided attention.
Charismatic people understand just how much people love to talk about themselves, so they give them that audience to thrive.
In a study conducted by Harvard Neuroscientist Diana Tamir and Harvard Colleague Jason Mitchell, it was found that talking about ourselves gives us the same pleasure as food and money.
By actively listening and asking questions, we appear interested in what the other person is saying, and they are likely to open up to you more as a result.
As a sign of actively listening, charismatic people ask relevant questions; nod their heads while maintaining eye contact.
4. They are great storytellers
According to Psychologist and Storyteller Vanessa Boris, storytelling forges connections among people, and between people and ideas.
Charismatic people recognize the powerful impact of storytelling when trying to get someone to take action.
They understand how well others can relate better to their vision or ideas through storytelling.
They also know that people naturally buy into ideas only when they are motivated to do so, not because you tell them to do so.
For them, there is no better way to communicate your ideas for a motivating impact on others than through storytelling.
Through storytelling, charismatic people can get others to deeply connect and directly relate to the vision or idea.
Charismatic people introduce humor, symbolism, and metaphor to pass the message across in a relatable way.
By introducing drama and intrigue, people become even more interested in hearing more.
5. They smile
Charismatic people realize how positively contagious a smile can be when connecting with others.
A study shows that people are naturally responsive to positive emotions like smiles, joy, and happiness than to negative emotions like frowns, anger, or sadness.
It’s hard to find a charismatic person who is always frowning or putting on a straight face.
Charismatic people realize the infectious nature of a smile and are always ready to utilize this free yet powerful tool in attracting others to themselves.
Their inviting smile puts others at ease and more open to connecting better with them.
Through their smile, they demonstrate confidence, happiness, tolerance, affability, and positivity.
Their smiles are genuine and never faked. It simply radiates from within.
6. They focus on others, not themselves
Despite the overwhelming attention they draw to themselves, charismatic leaders understand that they can only connect better with their audience when they make the conversation about the other person.
This makes their audience feel relaxed and comfortable to connect better with them.
They simply avoid making themselves the center of attention.
Conclusion
Looking at the above qualities of charismatic people, it’s easy to assume that these qualities are inborn.
Fortunately, these are qualities that can be learned and mastered.
So, you may be at that stage of your life where no one recognizes your presence when you walk into the room, or they simply avoid hearing you make a speech.
I understand how it feels, and it’s okay to feel that way.
However, with the right training and mentorship, these charismatic skills can be learned and mastered.
Home of Influence provides one-on-one coaching and mentorship that will help you begin your journey towards building charisma.
