I was painfully shy growing up. I struggled in new situations around people I didn’t know. I didn’t speak up until I was almost 10. Somewhere along the way I decided it would cost me too much to stay uncomfortable and invisible, so I put myself out there.
Today, as the founder of a firm that develops Fortune 500 leaders, entrepreneurs and their teams into strong communicators, I have learned one thing they all have in common: They all covet charisma and executive presence. The question they always ask is, “Can you learn presence and charisma?”
Related: 6 Ways to Keep Your Attitude Up When Life Tries to Bring You Down
My early struggle with shyness has been a gift, because I know these things can be learned. The learning feels less risky for some, but for me and many others I have worked with, it has been something of a reinvention.
Charisma doesn’t fit neatly into a box; it’s not about personality, style, professional title or economic status. Researchers at MIT have figured out that connecting with people is what generates charisma. It’s actually a social skill, which, like many others, is learned.
Want to access your charisma? Here are six tips to get it, leader or not:
1. Be attentive.
Attention is the electrical current that connects us. It’s unattractive to be distracted when others are speaking, leading a meeting or just trying to have a conversation. The ability to notice when your mind wanders and redirect your thoughts back into the present moment is a leadership habit that takes constant practice.
2. Prioritize humanness before rank.
Leaders who prioritize the human connection are perceived to be more trustworthy than those who believe their reputation should precede them. It doesn’t take long to look someone in the eye. I don’t mean the quick “ping” of eye contact. People know when you only glance and quickly look past them, absorbed in your own mental agenda. I mean the feeling that someone has taken a moment to “see who’s within.”
3. Draw people out.
Charisma is measured by your ability to release others into a more enjoyable state of communicating. You do this by being curious, asking questions, listening and being positive. Upbeat people who are sincerely interested in what other people have to say have natural charisma—and they are successful in negotiations and presentations. You have a serious handicap in conversation if you are not curious about the other person.
Related: It Takes a Positive Attitude to Achieve Positive Results
4. Notice your second language.
Some of the most important nonverbal signals for connection are a warm tone of voice, friendly facial expression, open gestures and standing near and fully facing others. Even a warm handshake can trigger a connection.
5. Get strength from vulnerability.
Most of the executives who come to my studio don’t trust themselves to use their own experience and wisdom to connect with people. They are surprised to learn they’ve got everything they need to be an authentic leader. The language of personal story is a medium for human connection. The ability to empower others by sharing what your life has taught you is an important part of authentic leadership.
6. Never try to fake it.
The attempt to manipulate a connection is much more transparent than we’d like to think. The brain knows incongruence in a millisecond. First and foremost, be a student. The real work of life is going within and developing your own self-awareness.
