Get Charisma! 6 Tips for Speakers

This article is by Jesse Scinto, a lecturer in Columbia University’s Strategic Communications programs. @jessescinto

When I ask students to think of charismatic speakers, I often hear the same few names: Martin Luther King Jr., Bill Clinton and Barack and Michelle Obama. These responses show just how limited our view of charisma can be. People assume it's something you’re born with, the special preserve of world leaders. But all of us can learn to be more charismatic with a little work.

Why bother? Charisma is a kind of personal magnetism that inspires audiences and moves people to action, making it essential for leaders. It also enhances credibility. Although we associate charisma with power, research shows it often depends more on establishing a common bond with listeners, helping them identify with us. We can foster charisma by being present, human, spontaneous, interesting, bold and visionary. Here are some practical tips.

1. Presence. Clearly, audiences prefer speakers who are present in the moment to those who self-consciously struggle to recall lines. But speakers only achieve this level of comfort through regular exposure to real audiences. As with sports or musical instruments, public speaking requires continual practice in order to appear effortless. One way to get exposure is through Toastmasters International, a global network of low-cost public speaking clubs. Here members take turns giving speeches and evaluating each other. It’s particularly useful for those who only speak occasionally at work. Join Toastmasters.
2. Humanity. No one is perfect. The more we try to appear so, the more listeners know it’s a sham. On the other hand, revealing our faults can build credibility faster than projections of power. If we laugh at our mistakes, the audience will too. They’ll see us as human and therefore more relatable and charismatic. We want leaders who are warm and personable not aloof and haughty. That's why political pundits ask, “Which candidate would you like to have a beer with?” Remember this the next time you misspeak, fumble with equipment, or have a wardrobe malfunction. It's a matter of mental reframing. Check out Adam Grant’s best-selling book, Give and Take, for more about the “power of powerless communication.”
3. Spontaneity. As sociologists, psychologists and acting coaches have observed, we all wear masks in public, adjusting our behavior to the situation. There are things we say among friends we would never say at work. Although self-editing is normal and appropriate, we sometimes go too far and end up seeming stiff. Reduce self-censorship by taking an improv acting class. Through group exercises and impromptu scenes, this training enhances our ability to say what comes to mind and readily express emotion. It loosens us up just enough to let our natural humor shine through, which puts listeners at ease. Injecting emotion into our speech also helps show our belief in the message. Many organizations now use improv training to improve teamwork. Try improv.
4. Interest. Another way to get charisma is to be interesting. We may not have a choice of subject matter, but we can often present our material in a more compelling way. Many of us learned the standard thesis-evidence-conclusion structure in school, which can be uninteresting and ineffective. More natural is to use a narrative structure: complication-resolution. That is, talk about the difficulties you (or your organization) have faced and how you overcame them. This type of structure stokes curiosity, a key ingredient in holding audience attention. When listeners know that you've encountered problems similar to their own, they'll wait with bated breath to hear your solutions. For more on this type of structuring, read Resonate by Nancy Duarte or watch my recent Columbia University seminar, Hooked.
5. Boldness. Charismatic speakers take risks, and risks are inherently exciting. Sometimes the risk is in the form of expression. In the professional setting, we might act out a customer-service encounter or share an embarrassing management error. Sometimes the risk has to do with prior action. When NPR interviews an author who’s written about her experience in war-torn lands, we listen carefully because the information comes at high cost. The speaker has taken a risk we wouldn’t take ourselves. Pay attention to the risks you take, even the small ones, because your insights may be valuable to others. Be bold and share your experiences.
6. Vision. At its base, a vision is just a plan for the future that we share with the people around us. Some visions are big, like reorganizing a department, organization, or nation. Others are small, like the vision for how a meeting or conference call should proceed. The point is to have a plan and be able to articulate it upfront. This can feel risky, because we need agreement from the people affected and we may expose our creativity to judgment. But most audiences look for a clear way forward and will appreciate your forethought. Start with the conference call.

Although presidents have many advantages in charisma—from copious coaching to teleprompters to professionally written speeches—the rest of us can certainly become more charismatic through focused practice. It's worth the effort.

Charisma makes the leader.

If you liked these tips, check out my other public speaking articles:

The Secrets of the Best Public Speakers • Fast Company

Why Improv Training Is Great Business Training • Forbes

5 Tips for Powerful Audience Participation • Fast Company

[Image: Wikimedia Commons]