Why certain students are popular in school and others go unnoticed? What induces us to follow a religion or God for that matter blindfold? Throughout our lives, we come across people who emanate some kind of magnetic force, attracting us to them. Like, when we were in school, the most popular person was either good looking or jovial by nature. But as we grow up, in some cases, we find that the same person is stupid or dumb. It isn’t just the good looks or a clever mind that makes a person a superstar. Of the entire 7.6 billion population, 99% are followers of the remaining 1%. So, what is this personality trait that only a rare few possess?
Before that, Perceptual intelligence is attributed to age and experience. But, isn’t perception a by-product of all our senses? It is a universal fact that God cannot be seen, only experienced. In all religions, God is presumed as the greatest leader and portrayed as a “charismatic figure”.
The answer lies in “Charisma”. It is defined as a “divine gift of grace” and is considered as a magical quality by many. It cannot be made synonymous. Like Love, Charisma cannot be explained but can be possessed and portrayed.
Charisma is the strongest of all personality traits one can possess and is the difficult of all personality traits one can develop, hence the “superstar” quality which only the superstars possess. The effect of Charisma is tenfold. A Charismatic person induces blind faith in his followers. Charisma doesn’t exist by self, rather it is a combination of the most revered qualities one can possess. To be charismatic, you need to be:
- Empathetic i.e. to see the world as it is from another’s shoe. Humanity is built on empathy.
- A good listener, which you have to be to be empathetic.
- Maintain eye contact, the most powerful form of human connection. It is only when you have unwavering eye contact with the person talking, do you become a good listener.
- Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm cannot be faked. And to be truly enthusiastic you need to connect with the person before you.
- Have self-confidence, never worry about someone else’s perception of you.
- The last and most important of all, learn to be a skilful speaker. Know your audience well before you engage.
“Charisma, simply put, is absolute presence”
Being a superstar is no small feat. To really get to the top 1% of the population, build your charisma. Below is a link to a fun quiz, where you can find out your charisma quotient.
http://www.oprah.com/omagazine/how-charismatic-are-you-quiz_1
