Did you celebrate Valentine’s Day? For some it’s the day we celebrate romance, often over a romantic dinner with that special someone or where we send flowers and cards to those we would like to become more romantically involved with. I was lucky enough to receive a beautiful bunch of long-stemmed red roses on Valentine’s Day 25 years ago from an admirer who became my husband. (Still is!) So what sets one person apart from the others and makes them stand out from a long list of admirers? he he! What is charisma and how do we get it? Is it really an elusive concept and even a characteristic that is necessary?
Other words to describe charm and charisma are personality, appeal, captivation, allure, fascination and having the X factor or star power. Wow that seems like a tall order and one that us mere mortals can only imagine.
Perhaps those words are really words that can be used to define someone who is totally confident and comfortable with who they are and not afraid to share it. I believe that it is possible to acquire the necessary characteristics to sufficiently captivate people’s attention to stand out on your chosen stage.
Today I’m sharing six tips on how to charm and stand out yourself. You don’t have to be the most remarkable person in the room; you just have to stand out to those who count.1. Pride. Displaying an air of confidence when you walk into a room, meeting or any public situation demonstrates a strong sense of self-esteem. You might not always feel like you are the most charismatic person in the room. In fact you might think I’m too short, tall, big, small, unintelligent, and the list goes on… You are you and you have your own set of accomplishments and strengths. Acknowledge that, remind yourself of past successes and feelings of accomplishment, appreciate the value you bring to others and own your confidence.
2. Passion. Enthusiasm for what you do, the world around you and being inspired by other people translates into an upbeat, positive person. Who wants to be around a stick-in-the-mud? Your likeability factor will increase if you are passionate about life. There’s lots to appreciate after all and enthusiasm is contagious.
3. Personal Best. Set high standards for yourself and always show the best side of you. Behaviour and how you interact with people goes towards your reputation and personal brand. You want people talking about you – but you want them talking about you for the right reasons. You might be great at your job but if you are painful to deal with no one will like you. Personal best also means looking the part of the stand out professional you are.
4. Communication. As a former PR professional, I was taught that communication is always two way. Not just broadcasting your opinions and thoughts but tuning in and listening to others. You have to understand what your customers and clients want and need before you can give it to them. Even in just day to day conversation, listen to others, ask questions and tune in to who they are and their interests. Others will find you fascinating if you show how fascinated you are with what they have to say.
5. Circle of influence. The oft repeated expression: "You are the sum of the five people you spend most time with" is attributed to American motivational speaker Jim Rohn. Who are the leaders and influencers you admire or feel have charm and allure? Where do they congregate and can you be a member of that network? Join in the community of like-minded, people where you know you belong.
6. My final key to unlock your charisma, is to care about others. Showing and demonstrating that you like someone else and that you respect their thoughts and opinions often means that they will like you in return. Of course it is about being genuine. Have you had the experience where someone has invited you to join them for a drink after work just to get to know you and become friends? Or ever had a bunch of flowers from an admirer and all of a sudden your interest in them is piqued? Sometimes we just need to know people care about us and like us. Not giving to get something in return but because we care.
To learn more about how you can achieve Star Power, read my latest book, IMPRESSario – Present and Promote the Star Within You. You can purchase it here.
To help you build your personal brand, sign up for my free video series: NOOK, LOOK, HOOK, 3 Steps to Build a Stand Out Personal Brand.
Sue Currie is a speaker and the author of IMPRESSario, Present and Promote the Star Within You. She is recognised as a leading authority on personal branding to boost image, profile, brand and business. Through her professional development and profile building programs, workshops, consulting and keynote presentations, Sue helps businesses and entrepreneurs position and present an influential professional brand.
