“…in controlled laboratory experiments, researchers were able to raise and lower people’s levels of charisma as if they were turning a dial…Charisma has been turned into an applied science.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
Charismatic people are socially powerful. The way they carry themselves and communicate with others inspires trust, likability, and a willingness to follow their lead. As a result, they tend to enjoy more social opportunities, better relationships, and greater success in their careers. In his book Power: Why Some People Have It and Others Don’t, Jeffrey Pfeffer highlights research showing that job performance plays only a minor role in career advancement. Promotions and professional success are influenced far more by an individual’s charisma.
“Multiple concurring studies indicate that charismatic people receive higher performance ratings and are viewed as more effective by their superiors and subordinates.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
While some people are naturally charismatic, charisma is also a skill that can be cultivated. In this video, drawing from Olivia Fox Cabane’s book The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism, we explore practical, research-backed techniques that can help you become more charismatic.
“Whether you’re applying for a new job or want to advance within your organization, [charisma] will help you achieve your goal. The power of charisma is equally valuable outside of the business environment. It’s useful for the stay-at-home mom who needs to influence her children, their teachers, or other community members. It can be an invaluable tool for high school students who’d like to ace their college interviews or are running for leadership roles in student organizations. It can help individuals become more popular with their peers and feel more confident in social situations.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
When we encounter someone for the first time, we instinctively assess two key traits: whether the person is a potential friend or foe, and how much social influence, or authority, they possess. In other words, we evaluate their warmth and their social power.
“From lab experiments to neuroimaging, research has consistently shown that [power and warmth] are the two dimensions we evaluate first and foremost in assessing other people. Power and intentions are what we’re aiming to assess. “Could you move mountains for me? And would you care to do so?” To answer the first question, we try to assess how much power he or she has. To answer the second question, we try to assess how much he or she likes us.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
A person who is hostile and low in power is the least attractive type of person to form a relationship with as the combination of weakness and meanness is naturally repulsive to most people. Someone who is high in warmth but low in power will come across as kind, but they lack the influence to confer social benefits. On the other hand, a hostile person with significant power may be able to help us advance in the world if our goals align, but they will harm us if we ever get in their way. The ideal candidate for social relations is the person high in warmth and power. Such individuals have both the will and the ability to improve our social standing and as such they are the individuals who are perceived as charismatic. Or as Olivia Fox Cabane puts it:
“Both power and warmth are necessary conditions for charisma…The equation that produces charisma is actually fairly simple. All you have to do is give the impression that you possess both high power and high warmth, since charismatic behaviors project a combination of these two qualities.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
To be perceived as warm means coming across as benevolent, compassionate, and genuinely interested in the well-being of other people. And the single most effective way to appear warm is to be fully present in our social interactions.
“When you’re with a charismatic master…you not only feel his power and a sense of warm engagement, you also feel that he’s completely here with you, in this moment.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
Think about how it feels to interact with someone who is not fully present and who constantly checks their phone or anxiously looks around the room. It seems as if we are not important to the other person and that they would rather be somewhere else. In contrast, someone who gives us their full and undivided attention makes us feel valued and appreciated and we so we tend to judge such people as high in warmth. Or as Olivia Fox Cabane writes:
“Being charismatic does not depend on how much time you have but on how fully present you are in each interaction. The ability to be fully present makes you stand out from the crowd; it makes you memorable. When you’re fully present, even a five-minute conversation can create a “wow” effect, as well as an emotional connection…The people you’re with feel that they have your full attention and that they are the most important thing in the world to you at that moment.”
Olivia Fox Cabane, The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism
