Can charisma be taught?

I was doing some online entrepreneurship training recently with a select group of small business owners and one of them asked me "can you teach someone to be charismatic?".

I had to have a good think about the question first before answering but came to the conclusion that you could. When I gave my answer, the small business owner reasonably countered "surely charisma is a natural gift that you either have or don't have".

Before I carry on with my reasoning, it might be worth clarifying what charisma is first. The widely accepted definition of charisma is 'a person’s ability to unite and motivate in a positive manner'.

The really charismatic entrepreneurs that I've rubbed shoulders with certainly seem to have that mystical ability to stand out in a crowded room (without saying a word), get others to naturally gravitate towards them (using an seemingly invisible power) and then motivate others to do something they didn't think was possible.

Are these 'demigods' born this way, is it a skill they've learned or is it a set of behaviours that they've adopted. Well - the answer is probably elements of all three of these.

Much research has been done in this field (just Google 'Charisma training') and it shows that rather than being a gift received from high above, charisma is actually a skill that can, in large, be taught and honed. In fact, many leadership coaching programmes centre on the characteristics and behaviours that will help them come across as being more charismatic.

Whilst some charismatic types naturally have the type of personality which motivate others to go through a brick wall for them (think Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool FC) - I believe that us mere mortals can also get on the 'charisma spectrum', with some tailored coaching and training.

Charisma start's with having a vision for your purpose in life. It could be that you want to help individuals, businesses, the local community or wider society. Your purpose will be built on a set of genuine beliefs that are typically based on making a real difference.

Next, you need passion (in bucket loads) - as this is what will motivate others and get them to go through that proverbial brick wall for you.?

You will also need to be a 'peoples person'. This means having emotional intelligence and being able to communicate effectively i.e. being empathetic to others' needs, listening 'actively when others talk, having the ability to compromise and being 'solution' driven.

Then, you need integrity i.e. being consistent with your beliefs, words and deeds. If you are able to 'walk the walk' - then others are more likely to join you on your journey.

Finally, you need to put in the hard practice - to build your 'charisma muscle memory'. It reportedly takes one hundred days to adopt and ingrain a new habit but it will take much longer than than this to develop your hard earned charisma.

Your dedicated practice should also include moving in the circles of established charismatic types, observing what they do and how they behave. This will help you absorb some of their characteristics through natural 'osmosis' e.g. you are supposedly, the end product of the five people you spend the most time with!

For those who are committed enough to put these archetypal skills and behaviours to work, essentially it is my belief that charisma can be taught and coached (in most part) until it eventually becomes automatic.