Charisma = Wealth

(Knowledge Source), not a fan of this guy
However, I think there is absolutely some truth in this

True or False?

Could you use a little charisma? Charisma goes a long, long way.

It might be nice if people just followed the people with good ideas. It’d probably be great. If we could somehow alter the human DNA to make this happen, I’d be all for it.

But people don’t work like that. People follow alpha-males, visionary women, and tall-people with fabulous hair.

That’s just how it is. So the only question is, have you made charisma part of your tool kit?

If not, you should. And I’m telling you it is something you can learn – or at least cultivate within yourself.

I got a little lucky in life with this one. There have been times when I’ve relied on nothing but charisma.

I certainly didn’t get this far on my looks.

But it wasn’t a god-given gift. It’s something that grew inside of me. And it’s something that I still nurture and tend to. Because I’ve seen how a little bit of charisma can make things flow a little bit more smoothly.

I know charisma doesn’t sound like a skill. It’s not like memory or using chopsticks. But I think it gets a little easier to get your head around when you break it down into its components parts.

Charisma = Power x Empathy

…which ultimately equals wealth, if you want it to.

This is my claim. How does it feel? Ring true for you?

I think the biology of this probably isn’t too complex. When we’ve got a powerful being in our field, it comes into the forefront of our awareness. If the powerful being is friendly, then there might be some benefits flowing through to us. More territory, more berries, left-over mammoth meat.

If the powerful being is an enemy, then we need to be on our guard. We might need to pull some evasive manoeuvres.

So power alone isn’t enough. We need to know if the powerful being is friendly or not. This is where empathy comes in. Empathy is the signal.

If the powerful being has empathy, then you feel that it understands your needs. It can relate to you as a person. It cares about you. It will see when you’re hungry and share some of its mammoth meat with you.

Empathy is the signal and therefore the catalyst that turns power into charisma.

Think about a few public figures through this lends. Like Tony Abbott. I’d say Tony Abbott didn’t have charisma (at least publicly). I’d say he had a lot of power. He was obviously smart, savvy and had an impressive physique. But he seemed to lack empathy. He didn’t quite seem human. He ate a raw onion.

That lack of empathy was a charisma killer.

Malcolm Turnbull seems to have the opposite problem. We like his soft, round edges. But it’s not looking like he can get much done (though they maybe says more about Canberra than him).

Empathy without power = no charisma.

Or take Donald Trump. He carries a huge amount of personal power, but the empathy question is open. If you’re one of his supporters, you hear him speaking your language and being passionate about the things you care about. Huge empathy equals huge charisma.

Outside the stadium rally though, Trump is a guy that says random things, throws aggression around indiscriminately, and seems totally unpredictable.

That’s not just a charisma killer. A powerful but unpredictable person is a genuinely terrifying prospect. It’s a guy with a bazooka walking into a Westfields. It’s why people seem genuinely scared of the idea the Trump might be president.

That’s all at the public level though, and thankfully most of us will never have to engage with the horrors of being famous.

But charisma is at its most effective one on one.

So if you’re looking at Charisma, take a look at these two qualities – power and empathy.

I have seen a few things on the net that say that charisma can be faked – It’s about postures and body language, it’s about deep and attentive listening. It’s about making eye-contact, or being visionary. It’s about making people feel special.

But I would say that all these things are symptoms of power. If you feel powerful within yourself, you are relaxed, you meet people’s eyes because you’re not afraid, and your handshake and posture naturally reflect a sense of inner-confidence. You can look to the future because you feel safe in the here and now.

You are also able to listen deeply and attentively to people because you don’t have anything to prove. You’re not on the defensive, you don’t need to make a point, and so you’re free to be genuinely curious in what the other person is saying.

I just don’t think these things can be faked. There’s too many things to be conscious of, and the human senses are trained to pick out the smallest give-aways. The small nervous dart of the eye, the little stammer in the voice.

There are tricks though that can put you in a powerful state of mind. I’ve written about some of these before. Body-posture poses, affirmations, etc. This stuff is often a case of fake it til you make it. But you still have to make it.

Ultimately, whether we see ourselves as powerful beings is a choice that we make. It’s a choice you can make.

On the empathy side, it’s a lot easier. Just try not to be a dick. Develop a world view that places yourself within a broader world of people all just trying to do the best they can.

You are not the centre of the universe and other people’s lives are just as important as yours.

It’s not so hard.

But my guess is that most people are already across the empathy thing. So give some energy to cultivating a sense of personal power.

You’ll be surprise how far a few displays of empathy and power can take you.

This is the nature of charisma.

 

world would be a better place

 

What do people do with a tall alpha male with Trump hair?

 

lol, I would recommend shaving it, no hair, better than a comb over

 

The ability to attract people is directly proportional to wealth.

 

Just needs a Chuppa Chup and you got Kojack.

 

I must be shallow because all the wealthy people I have met turned me off. I am attracted to people who have strong values, interesting lives and modest means... like me!

 

Perhaps you met wannabes.
People with money don't need to flaunt it and if they do its a big turn off.

We are on a property forum discussing anything and everything about our investments etc. but in the real world best to say nothing, not too many people are interested and excitement may come across as boasting just my opinion.

MTR

 

See what mean, what an amazing improvement/makeover ....LOL

 

I dont agree

 

Ok
I don't agree that you don't agree.

All good mr Sanj - most people don't

 

I've been doing all that stuff, so where's my money?

 

Reference?

 

I think being grounded and in the real world is the best way.

 

So by that argument all introvert's will not turn out to be wealthy...

That's me done than!!

 

I know some charismatic people who are wealthy. I also know some charismatic people who are not wealthy.
I know some non charismatic people who are not wealthy. I also know some non charismatic people who are wealthy.

Hhhmmmm.... I wonder how to make sense out of that data set.... ?!?!

 

You just answered your own question

 

There are lots of ways to become wealthy - I imagine that all the pimply teenagers developing apps in their bedrooms at Mumma's house are lacking in charisma somewhat, but have other gifts that can make them money.

If you want to become wealthy in a people-facing role, then yes, charisma is important.

 

Fair play to whoever wrote this article. There is clearly a long term income stream option in writing obvious stuff in a very roundabout way that makes it seem new and innovative. I'm thinking this is a great idea so will be interested to see if being not overly attractive or popular will get in the way of my money making scheme. Watch this space!