What if charisma could be learned?

The question of whether leaders are born or they "can be made" is an old one. Recent research unveils that while inborn qualities (especially certaint personality traits) are important, leaders can be developed and this development happens mostly through experience. 

What about charisma? We all hear about charisma. "She is so charismatic!" or "He does not have it." they same. Have you ever been thinking about what it really means?

Misleading origins of the term

In theology charisma is referred to as a divinely conferred gift or power. The very term charisma comes from the Greek χ?ρισμα (khárisma), which means "gift of grace". The modern usage of it started with the works of German sociologist Max Weber who stated that it is a "certain quality of an individual personality by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman, or at least specifically exceptional powers or qualities" (Wiki). 

All these examples suggest that charisma is indeed an inate quality. Some simply see it very much linked to personality traits, and thus virtually unchangeable over the course of our lives - you have it or not. Some even associate it with an intangible, magical aura, a mysterious something that emanates from the ones who happen to have it. This is most likely what most of us subconciously convey when making those he-does-(not)-have-charisma statements.

That is one way of viewing things. But what if we simply look at charisma as set of very specific behaviours? You might be tempted to say that charisma about the impact people have or the reaction they manage to instill in others. But how do they do that?  Isn't it the way in which they act or conduct themselves towards others that make us all feel prone to following them? They sure display certain behaviours associated with charisma.

Presence, power and warmth

Olivia Fox Cabane in her seminal book "The Charima Myth" debunks most of widely-held yet false beliefs about charisma by breaking it down to combinations of three particular behaviours of: presence, power and warmth.

Presence is the core of charisma. By displaying presence charismatic leaders make their followers feel respected and valued. In consequence followers are more willing to reciprocate. Power relates to body language and confidence. While warmth refers to someone likes the other person and whether that other person like them too. In other words it is about inducing liking. 

Transferrable charisma skills

Ability to behave in a certain manner is a skill. Skill can be defined as “ability to do something that comes from training, experience or practice” (Merriam Webster, 2014). Hence the inherent part of its nature is its mutability, subject to change over time. The implication is that people can develop it and thus become better (at
certain skill). While the traits approach assumes the inherent, intrinsic and thus stable characteristics of those who posses charisma, the skills approach implies that charismatic behaviours are dynamic constructs that can be developed over time. 

We tend to refrain from accepting that charisma can be learned

It all sounds eminently sensible, but still we tend to refrain from accepting that charisma can be learned (and thaught for that matter). It just sounds unlikely that someone can reach the levels of charisma displayed during famous Apple product presentations by Steve Jobs without being gifted, doesn't it? Isn't it legitimate to assume that Steve Jobs developed his skills over time? 

In this early TV appearance prep he does not quite seem like a very charismatic Steve Jobs we know from the later stage of career. 

Ready to work on your charisma skills? All it takes is breaking charisma into fundamental behaviours understanding how they work and mastering day by practicing over and over again. Fake it until you make it. 

You can try figuring it out yourself or by getting your copy of Olivia Fox Cabane's book. It is worth it.