What Does Charismatic Personality Mean? (A Complete Guide)

In this guide we will be examining the meaning of a charismatic personality. We will look at some definitions of ‘charismatic’ and the characteristics of charismatic personalities.

What does Charismatic Personality mean?

Charisma refers to being able to attract or influence other people. It is based on good communication and interpersonal skills. It is quite easy to identify people who are charming or charismatic. Charisma comes from a Greek word that means ‘divine gift’.

The difficult part is discovering how the charismatic personality differs from personalities who are non-charismatic or less charismatic. This is further complicated by the fact that there are different types of charismatic personalities. Some are quiet and charming whereas others are bold communicators who sweep people off their feet.

A group of researchers from the University of Toronto defined charisma as consisting of a combination of ‘influence’ and ‘affability’. Influence referred to leadership skills and ‘presence’, whereas affability referred to being pleasant and approachable.

The same group of researchers further stated that it is possible to develop influence and affability with sufficient time and effort.

According to them, in charismatic personalities, influence has three components: presence, ability to persuade and leadership ability. Charismatic personality is characterised by confidence or, at the very least, the ability to come across as confident. Not only are charismatic personalities confident in themselves, they also make other people feel confident about themselves.

In addition to confidence, the charismatic personality is also characterised by optimism. The charismatic personality is cheerful and bounces back from difficulties with ease. They are good at making other people be more positive and choose to see the best in the people and events around them.

The ability to persuade and influence others can be used for good as well as bad. The charismatic personality uses this skill for good. They bring people together towards a common goal, usually for the benefit of all involved.

An additional characteristic of the charismatic personality is their excellent leadership ability. Their ability to lead people appears effortless and natural. They are good at communicating with people and creating a vision to work towards.

The other component of charisma, affability, has the following principal components: getting along with others, making others feel comfortable and smiling genuinely and frequently.

Emotional intelligence is an important part of affability. Affability necessitates that an individual be able to be in control of their emotions. The charismatic personality is good at gauging their own and others’ emotions and using it to their advantage. They learn to express their true emotions when necessary or act in ways that make people believe what they see.

The charismatic personality comes across as interesting. This is because of their vision as well as the way they communicate. The charismatic personality is skilled at communicating clearly and concisely. They are excellent storytellers and come across as engaging and passionate. They also are good at using their body language to communicate effectively.

In addition to being interesting, charismatic people are also interested. They express a genuine interest in other people and what they have to say.They are skilled at making people feel comfortable and getting them to open up about their thoughts and feelings. They come across as empathetic and remember important details about others, thus earning their faith and respect.

The charismatic personality is skilled at rapport-building. Their politeness, affability and sincerity draws people into conversations with them.

Who has a Charismatic Personality?

There is no single meaning or definition of the charismatic personality. By extension, it is not always possible to easily identify who has a charismatic personality. Kurt W. Mortensen wrote a book called ‘Laws of Charisma’ that may help in this regard.

Mortensen writes that charismatic people are those who stun and whom we feel honoured to be around. They are attractive, humorous and inspire trust in those around them. Additionally, the charismatic personality is seen in people who are able to communicate effectively and get others to do what they want.

Benefits of a Charismatic Personality:

Not only is profitable to have a charismatic personality, it is also necessary. If people want to be remembered or have a vision for the world that they want to realise, they need the support of others. The sure fire way of achieving this is to develop a charismatic personality. It has benefits in all aspects of a person’s life: social, professional and personal.

Additionally, it is possible to develop charisma. It is not always something a person is born with. It involves a group of skills, traits and behaviours that can be easily learnt.

5 Behaviours of the Charismatic Personality:

While a lot of people are likeable, only some have a charismatic personality. Charismatic personalities are not just well-liked. They also draw attention. The charismatic personality is noticed the minute they enter a room. They inspire and energise the people around them. Following is a list of behaviours of the charismatic personality:

The charismatic personality is joyous: They have the joie de vivre and appear passionate. They share their joy and pleasure with those around them. This sparks powerful feelings in others.
The charismatic personality inspires confidence: They have complete confidence in their abilities and their worth. They celebrate their strengths as well as those of others around them.
The charismatic personality is driven: They have a powerful faith in their beliefs. Their dedication and consistency influence others to follow them. Their enthusiasm and energy are pivotal to the movement towards a common goal.
The charismatic personality is a good storyteller: In order to get others to follow them they need to be good storytellers. A good story is a sure-fire way of touching people at a deep level and inspiring them into action. Meaningful and emotional stories replete with humour, metaphor and symbolism are the strongest weapons of the charismatic personality.
The charismatic personality is empathetic: They are good at appearing interested in others rather than themselves. They make people feel heard and understood. People stick to charismatic people because they make them feel positive. The charismatic person is good at giving others all their energy and attention.

Qualities of the Charismatic Personality:

Self-confidence: Charismatic people like themselves and are comfortable in their own skin. Their enthusiasm and optimism are captivating to others.
Good Storytelling: Speaking with conviction and a tinge of humour are the mainstay of charismatic personalities. They also exhibit a keen awareness of current events in the world around them.
Body Speak: Charismatic personalities are skilled at using their body language to draw people to them. Simple things like smiling and making eye-contact makes them seem open and approachable. They have an air of owning any room they walk into.
Don’t make it about themselves: Charismatic personalities have a talent for making the other person in a conversation feel important. This makes other people feel comfortable and understood.
Good Listening Skills: Something that is crucial to a charismatic personality is being a good listener. Remembering small details about other people can instantly draw them to you. Paying attention to others and being empathetic are important.

Qualities of a Charismatic Leader:

It has already been established that charismatic personalities make good leaders. Following are some qualities of the charismatic personality that allow for good leadership:

Adaptability: What works in one situation may not work in another. Charismatic people are aware of this and make sure they adapt their behaviour to the subtleties of a given situation. They are quick-witted and good at keeping their cool during stress. This quality enables leaders to push ahead even when their plans don’t work out.
Confidence: People trust leaders who appear confident and sure of themselves. Their optimism can motivate others to follow them.
Vision: Charismatic people have a clear vision for the future that they are passionate about. They are also good at communicating their vision to others and stirring them into action.
Determination: This means that charismatic people don’t give up on their vision when they encounter obstacles. They adapt and push ahead. This can inspire those who work under them to do the same.
Clarity of Communication: The way they speak is what distinguishes charismatic leaders. They are persuasive and passionate about their beliefs. They use their posture, gestures and eye contact to engage with people. Communicating concisely and clearly are important.
Creativity: Charismatic people are experts at thinking outside the box and discovering innovative solutions to problems. This is tied to their faith in their vision. They are also unafraid of taking risks and disrupting the status quo. In addition to being creative themselves, charismatic leaders inspire creativity in others. A survey of 1500 CEOs around the world found that creativity was one of the chief factors that added to the charisma of a leader.

Conclusion:

In this guide we examined the definition and meaning of charismatic personality. We looked at the salient qualities of this personality. We also covered some tips for how to be more charismatic.

FAQ on ‘What Does Charismatic Personality Mean (A Complete Guide)’:

Is charismatic a compliment?

Charismatic is usually considered a compliment. People who are charismatic stay true to themselves and are good at bestowing compliments on others.

Who is the most charismatic person?

Some charismatic famous people include: Ralph Lauren, Randall Stephenson, Tim Cook, Rupert Murdoch and Joe Maddon.

Why is charisma attractive?

Charisma is perceived as attractive because individuals with this personality usually have good communication and persuasion skills that they use to draw people to them.

What makes a woman charismatic?

Charismatic women put a lot of effort into making other people feel important. They are genuinely interested in others and like to talk about others rather than themselves.