So what is Charisma and why is it so important to our future business success?
Many people believe that Charisma is all about having a ‘big’ personality, being the ‘life and soul’ of the party and being a strong leader.
Others believe that Charisma is the ‘luck of the draw’, that you are either born with, or without it and that it can’t be developed.
I have to disagree on both counts –
I know many people who are quietly charismatic, they have a wonderful aura, you feel instantly comfortable around them and you feel enriched just by being in their presence.
I have also worked with people on developing their charisma, not in a fake, mechanical way but in enabling them to connect with who they truly are inside and to let that shine from a place of pure authenticity.
“If you try to adopt a charismatic behaviour, posture or gesture that is out of alignment with who you really are at your core, then you unwittingly convey a lack of authenticity when you communicate. This immediately blocks your natural charisma.”
Extract from ‘Charismatic to the Core’ by Nikki Owen
Global Charisma Guru, Nikki Owen, has spent years studying and researching Charisma and her definition really encapsulates the true meaning –
“Charisma is an authentic power that captivates the hearts and minds of others.”
So, how important is charisma for leadership and corporate success?
Extensive research by the University if Lausanne and The Harvard Business review has shown that Charismatic leaders outperform their non-charismatic peers by over 60%.
One of the biggest challenges for businesses globally is employee engagement. More than 44% of the global workforce intends leaving their employer within 5 years and more than 21% intend leaving within 2 years. When interviewed, these disengaged employees said they were not being given the chance to explore their potential at work. They were feeling undervalued and de-motivated.
Leaders often underestimate the effect of their mindset on the effectiveness, productivity and engagement on the whole organization.
Have you ever worked in an environment where one negative person completely drains the energy of everyone else in the room?
I call them ‘energy vampires’ – 5 minutes in their company can leave you losing the will to live!
The reverse is also true. A Charismatic leader can lift the mood and motivation of the whole team and build high levels of workforce engagement.
‘The Leadership Quarterly’ quotes a study by Joyce Bono and Remus Ilies, which proved that charismatic leaders have a stronger emotional effect and gain greater employee cooperation than their non charismatic counterparts. Charismatic leaders affect both their followers and the organisational culture.
This ‘Mood Contagion’ means that charismatic leaders are capable of altering workforce attitudes, beliefs and motivation. They are also much more effective in attracting and retaining talent because they naturally create better quality relationships.
Charismatic leaders emotionally engage their employees because they are comfortable with engaging their own emotional responses.
People with high levels of charisma are happier, healthier, enjoy more success in their chosen careers and possess increased resilience to the challenges that life presents.
Developing charisma all about recognising and celebrating your uniqueness, appreciating the true value you have to offer and stepping up to let that value shine.
When we do this, we unlock so much of our true potential and life becomes a joy.
I have been fortunate enough to train with Nikki Owen and I am blown away with the impact her training and knowledge has had on my business and my life.
I am now delivering her exceptional and totally transformational workshop -the most impactful programme I have ever come across.
Testimonials from previous delegates –
I’ve been through many self-development and training workshops over the course of my career. All of them have been valuable in their own right, but some make such a profound impact that the experience as well as ‘aha’ moments can continue to be applied to your life long after the initial learning has been assimilated. The Charisma Connection was one such day.
Virginia Burgess, Entrepreneur, Author, Blogger
“The Charisma Model Programme was rated as our highest leadership development intervention and described as ‘life changing’.”
Terri Bailey, Director of Performance & Engagement Virgin Holidays
“Charismatic People recognise and celebrate their uniqueness and with that recognition comes a magnetic energy that is totally irresistible”