Research: 12 ways to boost your charisma

Is charisma an innate talent bestowed on a lucky few? A divine gift or something that you can learn?

Often, those who exude charisma—whether a celebrity, a politician, a business leader, or your kids’ soccer coach—are seen by others as possessing a gift. It’s magical draw that attracts others to them, to their work and ideas, to whatever they are advocating. That’s pretty powerful.

Were they born with it? Probably not.

They may have some skills that are natural for them, but research reveals they may have learned how to successfully combine and instinctually use a set of unique emotional, social and technical skills that feel authentic to them and resonate with others.

Here’s a surprise: Charisma isn’t just about how demonstrative you are or the energy you project. It’s also about the rhetorical devices you use, which are powerful contributors to the perception of charisma. How you “speak” nonverbally—your gestures, eye contact, and voice dynamics—is just part of the picture.

A group of researchers at the University of Lausanne identified 12 such skills. They call them “charismatic leadership tactics,” or CLTs. More importantly, the researchers learned these skills can be taught.

12 tactics to build charisma