The potential to be a charismatic leader is within you. And...the payoff for doing so has never been higher. Tony Alessandra outlines seven points to more charismatic speaking.

by Tony Alessandra, Ph.D.

What do people have that can inspire you and draw you to them, that can cause you perform beyond expectations to accomplish their goals? Is it speaking well...or being socially adroit...or projecting an attractive, exciting image?

Actually, it's all that--and more. And for lack of a better term, we often group such qualities under the term charisma. I've been studying, teaching, and writing about human behavior, especially in business, for more than 20 years now. As a result, probably like you, I know charisma when I see it...even if it's sometimes hard to pinpoint. But here's my definition: Charisma is the ability to positively influence others by connecting with them physically, emotionally, and intellectually. In brief, it's what makes people like you and enjoy being around you...even when they don't know much about you. This personal magnetism can exist at the level of mass movements--such as politicians and evangelists--or in the small-scale encounters of everyday life, such as the shop owner who makes you feel so comfortable and valuable that you cheerfully drive a few extra miles to her store.

I'm convinced that, contrary to popular wisdom, charisma is not something you're born with, like having blue eyes or brown eyes. Instead, I think our personalities consist, let's say, of a series of containers, like cups or glasses. Some are nearly empty, some brimming, yet others are partially filled to varying degrees. Together, they constitute our potential charisma. If all the glasses were filled to the top, you'd be so charismatic people would think you were a god...and you'd probably think so, too. But nobody has a complete set of totally full glasses, although some really gifted people--JFK or, say, Churchill--may have come close to this ideal. But, for most of us, the glasses are filled a bit erratically, though we can add to them.

Here, as I see them, are the seven main components of charisma--or, the "glasses," if you will:

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