Charisma: The Silent Power

The first thing we learn in communication efficiency is that more than 80% of it is actually non-verbal. But most of communication workshops or trainings designed for corporate environment are far from being silent.

The reason is as a communication trainer we know that organizations struggle already to measure the impact of soft skills even if everybody agrees that they make people better professionals, so to the lack of figures it is difficult to suggest them a ‘silence’ communication package as an improvement.

But we are all social beings we communicate in order to get attention for private or professional reasons, ideally to express our uniqueness and naturally attract what we need. I wrote ‘ideally’ because what we need and what we want are often two different things due to external factors (society/culture).

But in any case it is about ‘attracting’ so what attracts us (?) what is attractive in somebody’s communication?

It cannot lie in ‘WHAT’ is said as by definition it can be said by anybody else but in ‘HOW’ it is said. So it belongs mostly to the non-verbal realm and will tap into the famous ‘+80%’ of communication efficiency. Great!

There is indeed ‘something’ that can be perceived in our communication no matter the culture we belong or we address to, no matter the language we use, it is related to our body, it is our presence itself. And because of its universal nature and its impact this ‘communication tool’ should be really more considered in our globalized economy.

If we want to grasp its attractive nature called charisma, we know that:

·      It does not necessarily encompass physical beauty or exceptional grooming which are both very cultural and society related;

·      It refers more to ‘energy’, natural aliveness that will be visible in the body moves in the eyes that will be felt by sympathy and/or empathy as inspiring confidence and will be perceived in the voice pitch and speed;

·      It is mesmerizing as we forget space time and content while listening;

·      It influences and makes it all look good and sound real!

So we definitely have to work and emphasize in our communication trainings on the power of a body’s presence … in silence!

General techniques of communication teach you to get closer to some ‘ideal’ confident communication style according to the society and culture you belong to or you want to target and it can help to a certain extent to achieve what you want; but only in silence will you find what you need (!) by discovering first your uniqueness as it will restore your original confidence and get you to your own level of excellence - your charisma - wherever you are.