Charisma – The Core Qualities
Charisma – The Core Qualities
Have you ever met somebody and instantly felt a bond with them? You can’t explain the feeling but you know that there is something special about the person. The person radiates confidence and integrity. You want to be in their presence. This is the nature of charisma.
Charismatic people are often leaders. They are special people whom others listen to, look to for advice and whose opinions matter to others. Leaders can be found in many places and often aren’t where you would expect to find them. I have encountered leaders who quietly affect positive change in people’s lives through their work with homeless people. Craig Kielburger had the makings of a great leader when, at 12 years old, he gathered some of his Grade 7 classmates together and Free the Children was born. Today, his organization is the world’s largest network of children helping children. Most would agree that Steve Jobs of Apple Computer is a great leader due to his vision, his passion, his complete commitment and belief in what he’s doing and saying.
What all these people have in common is the ability to engender trust. Trust is a core quality of charisma; and the attitudes and behaviours of these charismatic people are aligned with the 4 keys to personal and professional growth: authenticity, reliability, social intelligence and mindset. These 4 keys form the foundation of the twelve drivers of trust.
Your Words, Behaviour and Attitudes Need to Align
When people are authentic we know we are getting the real deal. These are people of great honesty and integrity who genuinely care about other people. There is a straight-forwardness about these people and a candidness, which is disarming. No spin-doctors for these people. They are truthful and truth-telling with a passion for what’s right. We look at the alignment between what people say and do as one of our first judgments of their character.
Do What You Say You Are Going To Do
None of us like to be blind-sided and so we look for consistency in behaviour and follow-through in commitments. Trust builds with others when we know that they are reliable and that we can count on them to a) do the right thing b) remain flexible and easy-going when things change and c) remain composed under pressure. When you can behave this way, then people around you can look to you for direction, guidance and leadership. They can relax knowing that you are looking out for their best interests.
Be Sensitive To Those Around You
Socially intelligent people have a knack for reading the room and understanding the social cues that they see. We know what it’s like to be in the company of a good listener who can be empathetic to us. We feel special and we feel important to them. There is a feeling of respect, which endears us towards the person and allows them to really connect with us. We know that we can trust this person because they have our best interests at heart.
Maintain a Positive Mindset
Charisma is all about how you view the world, how you feel about yourself and how you treat others. Charismatic people have a great sense of confidence and optimism about those around them. They believe in themselves and their ability to affect a positive outcome for themselves, and for others. Their presence attracts people and success.
