How to Be Charismatic

Have you ever been someone who can light up a room with their mere presence and influence everyone around them?? These people have that alluring and elusive quality called “charisma.” Charisma is a set of behaviors that have nothing to do with physical beauty. It may seem like some people are born likable, but everyone is capable of developing charisma. No matter your personality, there are certain traits you can practice and apply to your own behavior that can possibly make you seem more magnetic, and influential.

Contrary to common beliefs, charisma does not require you to be physically attractive, extroverted, or have a certain type of personality. All you need is a specific set of skills that, with enough practice, anyone can master; see the three core behaviours below.

1. Presence

If you want to be charismatic, you have to be present with other people. Tuning out or glancing at your phone in between conversations with people would not cut it. Charismatic people are 100% present. Be positive, shut down your ego, and give your full attention. Pay attention to every word that comes out of someone else’s mouth. Because so few of us are ever fully present, if you can manage even a few moments of full presence from time to time, you are sure to make an impact. In a world full of distractions, you can set yourself apart and boost your charisma a lot simply by offering others your full attention. Put your technology in silent mode and look other people in the eye. It will make a huge difference in how others perceive you.

2. Power

Power is all about whether you are perceived as having the ability to affect the world. We look for clues of power in someone’s appearance, in others’ reaction to this person, and, most of all, in the person’s body language. The simplest and most effective way to tune up your power is to take charge of your body language which you can do by practicing visualization.

Close your eyes, relax, and vividly imagine, let the feelings of pride, confidence, and enthusiasm fill your being. Visualize a “power moment,” and your body language will follow. Charismatic people express how they feel in a lot of different ways. Using your body to emphasize and enhance how you feel or what you are talking about can go a long way.

3. Warmth

People around you need to feel that you’ll use your presence and power to their benefit. To express warmth, you need to show compassion and be a good listener. A lot of people think charisma is about being a great talker, but you can increase your personal magnetism even more by being a good listener. People are used to being talked to, but it’s much rarer to be heard. So, let go of your need to be interesting, and instead be interested. Let the conversation be about the other person. Put yourself in their shoes. Show genuine empathy and gratitude for what they share with you.

Every interaction with other people is an opportunity to practice your personal magnetism. So the next time you are about to step into a social situation, just remember presence, power and warmth.