LEADERS
DIGEST
Book review
CHARISMA AS A TOOL FOR SUCCESS BY IMRAN HASHIM
Imagine this situation: you have just arrived at a networking dinner. You find yourself surrounded by mostly unfamiliar faces. You’re here on a mission: to make new contacts in the interest of your personal and professional gains. Like your life depends on it. It is an event packed with industry titans, important figures that you would consider yourself lucky to have the opportunity to rub shoulders with. You have prepared a stack of business cards to exchange. The occasion, after all, may provide a significant turning point in your career (if not now, perhaps later on). This is your chance to make an impression and be remembered by total strangers. For some people, this situation is right in their home ground. They feel comfortable, absorbing in the moment to shine and are able to just charm the audience. Think of any charismatic figure – you’ll most likely be convinced that the person’s presence can liven up any room. There is some sort of magnetism to this persona that can captivate others, men and women. Think James Bond. But let’s be honest. Not everyone can be Agent 007. Luckily, research has shown that you don’t necessarily need a particular sort of physique or even appearance to exude charisma.
Fortunately, in the book titled The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane, Cabane explains that charismatic behaviour can actually be nurtured. Charisma, as it turns out, takes in three forms: • Presence • Power • Warmth Going back to our networking dinner scenario, being Present is important to make yourself memorable to others. That means actually listening to others, and this has to be channelled internally so that it is authentic. You will also feel more at peace when you are focusing on your current environment. And when you are relaxed, your body language (Power) will show it, eliminating any internal discomfort, allowing you to concentrate on and really engage (Warmth) with others. The fact of the matter is, people like to be listened to. It shows that you respect and value them. OVERCOMING ANXIETY Speaking of discomfort, it is normal to experience moments of negativity – anxiety, self-criticism, self-doubt. The truth is, even professionals go through it. What is important is to de-stigmatise the discomfort and create a positive mental state. Removing or minimising the obstacles to Presence, Power, and Warmth is critical to projecting your inner charisma. According to Cabane, there are three steps to overcoming physical and mental uneasiness: 1. De-stigmatise Acknowledge and realise that the same experience can and has happened to others. This nervous feeling is a common occurrence that we all experience as imperfect human beings. It is perfectly normal and is nothing to be ashamed of. 2. Neutralise Now that you’ve come to grips with the self-inflicted negativity, step two is to neutralise it. Really ask yourself, what is the worst that can happen?
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Issue 38 I April 2020
