Clients often approach me wondering about the mysteries of charisma and executive presence. Most start this conversation with the assumption that one is born or endowed with these gifts. So, their conversation often starts with, What can I do to deal with these attributes, which my competitors have in abundance and I don’t?

I find such conversations both puzzling and frustrating, and am left wondering what causes these clients to think that they are at a disadvantage because of their lack of either charisma or executive presence. I think—in fact, I know—that they are certainly at a disadvantage because they THINK this, but I am not sure that they have come to realize that both of these traits are practiced behaviors and not something one is endowed with. So, the purpose of this blog is to lay down the basics of what behaviors provide one the ability to carry themselves with charisma and with executive presence.

Both, charisma and executive presence can be hard to define but are relatively easy to spot. Recent studies and research suggest that both these attributes are definable and replicable. The biggest obstacle to achieving either or both of these is, of course, your own limiting mindset.

Scientists who study these qualities say it’s less a natural gift bestowed only upon some lucky individuals and more a set of behaviors that anyone can learn. John Antonakis, a professor of organizational behavior at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and his colleagues have boiled down charisma to a set of practiced behaviors. They’ve found that charisma can be taught, practiced, and internalized as any other skill. In my coaching practice I have come to realize that executive presence, too, falls in the same category that displays certain unmistakable behaviors.

Those behaviors include both verbal and nonverbal strategies. If you watch the Simon Sinek video (see the link below) you can see that these can be boiled down to a list that I have made here (derived from the original Antonakis’ list of 12 items):

https://youtu.be/e80BbX05D7Y

Verbal tactics:
• Metaphors, similes, and analogies; Stories and anecdotes (especially highly personal ones)
• Contrasts and Rhetorical questions
• Three-part lists
• Expressions of moral conviction delivered in a language that resonates
• Statements that reflect the group’s sentiments (the group that you are trying to persuade)
• Setting high expectations for yourself and showing instead of just telling
• Conveying confidence that the goals can be achieved; knowing what language communicates that well

Nonverbal tactics:
• Body gestures
• Facial expressions
• Animated voice tone
• Connecting with the audience from the get-go (see the Simon Sinek video)
In 2011, Antonakis, along with Marika Fenley and Sue Liechti at the University of Lausanne, taught these tactics to 34 middle managers at a large Swiss company. At the study’s outset, the researchers solicited 360-degree feedback — from bosses, peers, and subordinates — on how charismatic the managers were. (The employees providing the ratings didn’t know which managers at their company were doing the training, so they couldn’t be biased in that way.)
The researchers started the training by having the managers watch video clips of charismatic individuals, pausing the videos every few seconds so the managers could learn to identify specific behaviors that constituted charisma.

Antonakis recognized that many of the managers were skeptical about the idea that, if they copied these behaviors, people would believe they were charismatic, too. Surely, they thought, people would notice that they were deliberately asking questions or changing the tone of their voice. But Antonakis explained that charisma is generally something you sense on an intuitive level, without being able to identify exactly where it’s coming from.

The researchers had the managers role-play interactions using the charismatic leadership tactics they’d learned, and gave them feedback on how well they deployed them. Over the course of the next few weeks, the managers were required to practice the charismatic leadership tactics, both alone and with the researchers.

Three months into the study, the researchers asked for 360-degree feedback again to see if the training had been successful. Sure enough, the managers who had undergone the training were not only rated as more charismatic, but also as more effective leaders, both compared to how they’d been rated before and to the group that didn’t receive the training.

Why is charisma such an important component of effective leadership?

According to Antonakis, one reason is that charisma helps a leader provide reassurance to her stakeholders — whether those stakeholders are voters, employees, or investors.
“It makes people feel like the person who’s in charge will make the vision happen,” he said.
At the same time, Antonakis is quick to note that charisma isn’t the be-all and end-all of effective leadership. A manager needs to have enough expertise to know what he’s doing — charisma is the “icing on the cake” that helps them communicate their ideas.

Executive presence, on the other hand is your ability to influence others with your persuasive powers and your authenticity.

For leaders who want to develop charisma, and executive presence preparation and practice are key.

One of the best — and simplest — ways to develop charisma and executive presence is to pay close attention to how charismatic people speak in public and see how their listeners react. You can also watch film clips of speeches by great leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Bill Clinton, JFK, and others. It can also help, in contrast, to watch leaders who fail to inspire confidence when they speak (e.g., George W. Bush).

Another alternative is to film yourself speaking, which allows you to realize how you’re coming across to others — whether you’re mumbling or demonstrating any tics, for example.
Of course, the goal of becoming a more charismatic leader isn’t simply to get people to like you — though that’s certainly a favorable outcome. Charisma also allows you to inspire others and motivate them to do be the best they can be. Of course, charisma has its darker side; those who fall for someone’s charisma can be easily manipulated to undesirable ends.

So, the next time you are intimidated by someone’s charisma or executive presence, do not be daunted by what they project to finesse you, learn how you can beat them by practicing some learned behaviors!

Good luck!

Acknowledgement: This blog is mostly based on a recent article, How to Become a More Charismatic Leader, by Shana Labowitz published in the Business Insider on Dec. 30, 2015.