Have you ever met someone that had a way with people?
Whether it be endless conversations or memorable interactions, they always seem to stand out from the crowd.
Or maybe that someone is you?
Maybe you are constantly approached by others for conversation. Or when you do talk, everybody listens and is invested in what you have to say.
Charisma plays a role in each scenario, whether former or latter.
Although other characteristics and factors may be in play during these scenarios, being charismatic is a characteristic that will draw others to you and keep them coming back for more.
We, as humans, socialize with others, whether frequently or infrequently, depending on the person.
Because of this, learning how to develop your charisma and stand out is necessary. Doing so gives you the advantage of drawing others to you and believing in you.
Before learning how to develop charisma, we must know what charisma is.
What is Charisma?
Charisma is a combination of highly developed communication skills, including skills involving emotional communication, verbal communication, and social role-playing. 1
Think of leaders such as:
- Martin Luther King Jr.
- Barack Obama
- Steve Jobs
- Elon Musk
Alternatively, consider Adolf Hitler, a leader who used his charisma negatively.
Each of these individuals was, or is, able to communicate and act in ways that draw others to them and their mission. No matter the purpose, people believe(d) in their vision and listen(ed) to what they say.
While the word charisma and what makes somebody charismatic has only recently become mainstream, it has been prevalent for some time.
Charisma first appears in the epistles of Paul, written in the period of about AD 50 – 62. Paul used charisma to mean ‘the gift of God’s grace.’ 2
It was thought that people with charisma had supernatural powers that separated them from others.
If we fast forward to today, people believe that any celebrity or person in a position of power is charismatic, which is far from the truth.
Naturally, humans will be attracted to others who are either physically attractive or in a position of power. When somebody is in either or both of these categories, others pay attention and listen to what they say.
The result is people being labeled and viewed as charismatic when, in reality, they may only be physically attractive or higher up the chain.
And just so we are all on the same page, having either does not equal charisma.
The fact is charisma cannot be faked. It is a characteristic that some people are either born with or have spent a lot of time developing. If somebody is to fake being charismatic, they can only act for so long before the truth comes to light.
Although one may be good-looking or in a position of power, one might lack the required communication skills or emotional intelligence to be considered charismatic.
Since charisma cannot be faked, it is best to devote the time and effort to developing it sooner rather than later.
Before you start putting in a bunch of effort, it is first good to know what makes a person charismatic.
Key Takeaways
Charisma is a combination of highly developed communication skills, including skills involving emotional communication, verbal communication, and social role-playing.
The fact is charisma cannot be faked. It is a characteristic that some people are either born with or have spent a lot of time developing. If somebody is to fake being charismatic, they can only act for so long before the truth comes to light.
Since charisma cannot be faked, it is best to devote the time and effort to developing it sooner rather than later.
Traits of Charismatic People
If you look at a list of people considered charismatic, you will find common traits within each of them that allow them to draw people towards them.
Individuals with charisma are:
- Emotionally Expressive
- Enthusiastic
- Driven
- Eloquent
- Visionary
- Self-confident
- Responsive to others. 3
While you will find varying amounts of these traits within charismatic individuals, it is worth looking at each and what it entails.
Emotionally Expressive
Charismatic people have multiple ways to get their point across. Some of those ways are through their emotions and being emotionally expressive.
Emotional expressiveness is an individual’s ability to communicate emotional states through nonverbal movements and gestures, including through the face. 4
Whether it be through hand gestures or facial expressions, charismatic people will use these, sometimes in addition to what they are saying, to emphasize or highlight certain parts.
If you think back to the last memorable conversation you were a part of, chances are the person you were talking to didn’t keep their hands to their side. Instead, they used them to keep you engaged in the conversation.
By using hand gestures and facial expressions to signify emotion, charismatic people can create a more memorable conversation that people will want to have again.
Enthusiastic
When you encounter a charismatic individual, often they will be enthusiastic or full of enthusiasm. They will have a high sense of interest or enjoyment about them.
Whether it be a conversation or a job you are both working on, you can tell by how they behave that it gives them fulfillment and joy.
This a trait where you can sense a charismatic individual from a fake, as enthusiasm is hard to fake. People may attempt to be enthusiastic, but you can tell by how they talk or their actions if they are faking it.
For example,
When somebody is pretending to be enthusiastic when engaging in a conversation, they respond to what you are saying far too quickly and often with surface-level responses in an “enthusiastic” tone.
A charismatic person will show enthusiasm by bringing value to the conversation or task.
Driven
A driven individual will do all they can and use all their resources to achieve a wanted result.
Being driven is a common trait within all charismatic individuals as it shows others that they are fully committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve an end goal.
Additionally, you will sometimes find a sense of urgency within them as they strive to fulfill their vision quickly and efficiently.
As most politicians tend to be charismatic, you commonly find them instilling a sense of urgency within their supporters to back their plans for the future.
Charismatic people leverage a sense of urgency and commitment to the end goal to get others to buy into their vision.
Eloquent
To be eloquent is to speak clearly, powerfully, and persuasively when needed. One cannot be charismatic if not eloquent.
It is no surprise that charismatic individuals tend to be eloquent. They say the right things at the right time to get others to listen and act.
If you look at any well-known charismatic leader, there is a reason they are well-known. It is their vision and how they present it to the world to get people to stand beside them.
To get others to listen and believe in you, you must speak and deliver a message that is not only powerful but so clear that others know what you are saying and looking to achieve.
When you pair an eloquent individual with the right vision at the right time, they will succeed in getting others to buy into them and their mission.
Visionary
You will notice that any charismatic leader, or leader in general, is a visionary.
The reason is that the leader must first be able to envision the future and what it looks like before getting others to buy into their vision.
When you consider Martin Luther King Jr., he always said that he had a dream and would go on to talk about what that dream was. He is a classic example of a leader who was also a visionary, as he would tell the world what he envisioned for the future.
If a leader is not a visionary, they will have trouble guiding and getting others to stand beside them as they have no clue what they are aiming for themselves.
Self-Confident
Charismatic individuals are self-confident, meaning they believe in themselves, their abilities, and their plans.
They can believe in themselves and their vision, whether people are with or against them.
Due to this unwavering self-confidence, people are much more likely to buy into their vision and listen to what they have to say.
To get people beside you, you must be there for yourself and have true self-confidence.
If somebody is not self-confident, they have a more difficult time getting people to respect and listen to them.
Responsive to Others
Lastly, charismatic individuals are responsive to others. They can tell how others are feeling and change their behavior as needed.
For example,
When somebody charismatic is giving a speech and can tell people are uninterested, they will change the message and deliver it differently to get people interested.
By being responsive to others, charismatic individuals use their emotional intelligence to perceive how their message and behavior come across in different scenarios.
Due to this, you will find many charismatic individuals are very in tune with their emotions allowing them to be in tune with other people’s emotions.
When you understand and are responsive to yourself, you can be responsive to others.
Key Takeaways
Individuals with charisma are: emotionally expressive, enthusiastic, driven, eloquent, visionary, self-confident, and responsive to others.
To get others to listen and believe in you, you must speak and deliver a message that is not only powerful but so clear that others know what you are saying and looking to achieve.
To get people beside you, you must be there for yourself and have true self-confidence.
How to Develop Charisma
Since we have gone over what charisma is and the traits of charismatic people, we can explore how to develop charisma starting today.
A great starting point is to look at the traits of charismatic people and learn to replicate those within yourself.
While each person is different, people with high levels of charisma typically portray certain traits amongst all of them. Learn to replicate these traits and watch your charisma increase.
Become the Best Version of Yourself
If you want to develop more charisma, start becoming the best version of yourself. The most important way to increase this characteristic is by focusing on yourself and improving yourself.
Typically, people will want to develop their charisma to become better with people. Since this is a characteristic shown when socializing, this only makes sense.
When you focus on yourself, you do not have to put on an act around other people and can be yourself as you are not trying to impress anybody.
When you do not have to put on a mask or image in front of others, people respect and admire it.
A few things to focus on when becoming the best version of yourself are:
- Communication/Listening Skills
- Working Out
- Mindfulness
- Exploring a New Hobby/Side Hustle
While these are just a few examples, pick one of the top four suggestions and put effort into it.
If you are unhappy with how you look or feel about yourself, focus on improving your physical attributes. Instead of worrying about your communication and listening skills, focus on working out and maximizing your looks.
When you focus on yourself and your perception of yourself before focusing on others and their perception, you will achieve more organic levels of charisma.
Check Your Wardrobe
Another way to develop your charisma is by checking your wardrobe and the outfits that you are wearing.
If you are walking around wearing a tank top and shorts, good luck getting many people to take you seriously.
To step up your game and develop charisma, you must ensure that your outfits give the right impression.
Ripped jeans, skinny jeans, or graphic tees are no more. By wearing clothing of this nature, you will give the impression that you do not mean business, and it will be hard to find people who take you seriously.
Instead, elevate your style and buy some new clothes. If you need ideas, a simple Google search of classic clothing styles will give you many ideas.
Care for Other People
One of the main reasons that people gravitate to individuals with high levels of charisma is that charismatic people make others feel good about themselves.
They will:
- Listen to what they have to say.
- Give them compliments.
- Care about the other person.
Something that every human must know is that people like talking about themselves. Charismatic people know this and use it to their benefit by doing that; letting people talk about themselves.
When somebody is talking about themselves or their day, really listen and care about what they are saying. Ask questions and be engaged with the conversation while minimizing distractions so the other person can feel heard.
If you do not listen to what they are saying and act as if you care about what they are saying, you are no better than somebody who is faking to be charismatic.
And remember, people can only fake being charismatic for so long before the truth comes to light.
Key Takeaways
While each person is different, people with high levels of charisma typically portray certain traits amongst all of them. Learn to replicate these traits and watch your charisma increase.
If you want to develop more charisma, start becoming the best version of yourself. The most important way to increase this characteristic is by focusing on yourself and improving yourself.
Something that every human must know is that people like talking about themselves. Charismatic people know this and use it to their benefit by doing that; letting people talk about themselves.
Conclusion
You now know what charisma is, the traits of charismatic people, and how to develop charisma.
By implementing the three tips to develop charisma and reflecting the traits of charismatic people within your own life, you now have the resources needed to increase this characteristic.
While there is more to this characteristic than was presented in this post, a solid framework of charisma has been established upon completion of reading this.
Instead of allowing others to be the magnet and lead the way, pave it yourself. When you have yourself and a way forward, others will follow.
–Your future self will thank you.
