You can’t turn on the news at the moment without hearing more bad news about the struggling state of the economy, rising debt and the human costs associated with keeping small businesses afloat. Yet a quiet revolution amongst discerning businesses looking for growth rather than survival has shown that simply by developing their leadership team’s charismatic potential has an almost instantaneous impact on their bottom line.
Having dedicated the last three decades to investigating how charisma benefits organisations I was delighted to have my research findings reinforced and validated by Hewitts Associates. They also identified that those organisations achieving double-digit growth have extremely high levels of workforce engagement. The quickest and most cost effective way to build engagement is by increasing the charisma of leaders, executive boards, entrepreneurs and senior management.
Yet, this presented a challenge for two reasons. Firstly, the definition of charisma varied widely and secondly, great charismatic icons exhibited their charisma in a way that was unique to them. You can’t teach people charismatic behaviours without diluting their authenticity – an immediate block to the flow of their natural charisma. Remember Gordon Brown, during the historical, live election debates in May 2010? I was providing live commentary on the three leaders’ charisma for a global television network alongside the Professor of British Politics, Stephen Hassler. Gordon Brown looked uncomfortable trying to compete with his two younger opponents and had been ’schooled’ in using power postures and gestures. He failed to engage the voting public because he was not speaking from his heart. In contrast, Nick Clegg who despite being less polished, talked with a natural and spontaneous passion that got him the coveted role of Deputy PM!
You can develop charisma by working from the ‘inside’. In fact, everyone already possesses charisma within themselves, yet because of the walls of protection and masks put up and on over the years, we disconnect from our own source of power. This is why I call my corporate charisma seminar, An Audience with Charisma – because the ‘audience’ already has charisma, I simply need to help them reconnect with it. The minute this happens, people light up like a Christmas Tree!
My journey into the world of ‘inside out’ took me to Dr Bruce Lipton’s research in the field of Epigenetics that proves the impact of thoughts and feelings on the way genes are expressed. Metaphorically speaking, the charisma gene is inherent within us all yet not all of us activate it. In 2004, in conjunction with Vic Conant, President of Nightingale Conant we embarked upon a huge piece of research with 2664 organisations globally. One conclusion found that mindset was the crucial, linking component between high performing, charismatic individuals.
In 2008 I published my blueprint for developing charisma and launched my first charisma seminar at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Within just 2-days I transformed individuals’ level of impact, presence and gravitas that I measured with a range of assessment tools. (Check out your own level of charisma for free by visiting www.audiencewithcharisma.com/charisma-profile)
Last year I conducted a small study with 34 senior executives who rated themselves on 10 different attributes before and six weeks after attending An Audience with Charisma. The results were dramatic and have caused a plethora of questions from learning and development communities about how I can achieve such impressive and sustainable performance improvements. My response is often regarded as controversial, because I am using a blend of techniques that are literally at the frontiers of accelerated development. Noetic Science, Control Dramas, Quantum Physics, Reiki, Dowsing, Matrix Reimprinting are just some of the sources that have inspired my approach. Sometimes I’m asked if these techniques are just too way out for the corporate community to which I respond ” if I can deliver a sustainable change in the people I teach, does it matter how I do it.”
The model I use to develop charisma, encompasses five attributes that collectively I refer to as The Symbol for Star Quality. Charismatic people possess high levels of self-esteem and are comfortable in their own skin. They are genuine and authentic. Whilst they have the ability to adapt their behaviour, essentially they are always true to their real self. Charismatic people have a strong driving force because their work holds personal meaning. As a result they appear dynamic, enthusiastic and passionate. Charismatic people are emotionally intelligent. They listen to their intuition and communicate from their hearts as well as their heads. How can you engage people by logic alone? Charismatic people have a compelling vision that others feel a connection with. This creates a magnetic electro-magnetic force field that draws people to follow them. The fifth attribute is how charismatic people utilise their energy. At the smallest, quantum level we are all pulsating energy that ebbs and flows continuously. Interestingly, charismatic people can absorb and utilise the energy generated from others that allows them to exude even more energy. This energetic formula begins to explain the scientific rationale behind cult leadership.
Since my first Audience with Charisma at The Globe, I’ve helped hundreds of business professionals become more authentic, more charismatic and consequently more effective.
