Our Forté Strengths Series is coming to a close. So what does all of it mean?

Being able to identify your primary strength is the key to having self-awareness, both professionally and personally. More than any other strength, the ability to adapt to another’s styles and strengths is the fundamental force that drives Charisma.

Many say this is a strength few have and cannot be developed. The truth is, Charisma is a strength that can be developed, yet few make the commitment to elevate their skills to this level.

Yes, there are people who do seem to have been born with a natural and magnetic way of communicating with others. As you watch someone with this strength, either born with it or acquired, these are common behaviors and styles they share.

The tools you have from The Forté Institute include the Forté Interaction Report, which provides highly detailed coaching on how to adapt to another and includes the others Self-Motivators and De-Motivators. That said, we do not always have access to that information at hand, so developing the following will take you in the correct direction to develop Charisma in almost any situation.

Top Verbal/Non-Verbal Cues Of A Charismatic Leader

The best communicator is the best listener. Charisma will never be achieved without your listening to others.

• You listen to others and they will listen to you.
• Maintain strict eye contact at all times.
• Looking away can break the other’s belief of your interest.
• At the appropriate moments be sure to make affirming comments that reflect the other person’s feelings about the topic at hand.
• Ask follow-on questions, offering very little of your opinion(s) at this time.
• If possible, make notes of important points as the likelihood of your remembering key items of interest for the next time you see this person is much higher. And, you can review your notes in advance of the next meeting and have this information at top of mind.
• Stays with the conversation; if interrupted do not allow the moment to be hijacked by someone else. Rather politely and briefly say you will be happy to visit with the other person in a few moments.
• If in an office setting, lean forward and never go to your phone or computer while the other person is expressing an idea or asking a question. Avoid those interruptions, if at all possible.

The ability to frame the moment.

• This element of Charisma is a quality of communication that causes others to accept one idea over another.
• Until you know the thoughts or ideals of those you are communicating with can you develop a framing model that can cause others to accept one idea over another.
• Having a passion about what you believe in helps frame the moment.
• Having persistence for what you believe in helps frame the conclusion.
• Listen, then frame--adapt--listen, then frame--adapt--listen, then conclude.

The extrinsic perceptions the Charismatic creates

• Walking tall, straight and with a purpose.
• The reality of the first, and lasting, impression has extreme value and is manifested by your physical presence…in every situation.
• Only you control the perception of Charisma, by thought, word and deed not only initially but more importantly…over time.
• Choose how you want to create and sustain this vision that others will have of you and live the supreme example.
• The study of the language used by a Charismatic finds it is very inclusive in nature.
• The messages are discernible with purposeful patterns of discourse.
• In short, the Charismatic typically knows what they are talking about.
• The Charismatic leader employs a predictable, consistent set of techniques to break down, move and re-align certain beliefs of those they lead.
• There is a forceful argument that Charismatic leadership is a dynamic process that is impossible to capture in a single snapshot.

The ultimate secret to creating Charisma is thinking and speaking in overarching goals, communicating high performance expectations to followers, and exhibiting confidence in follower ability to meet those high expectations. In their charismatic roles, leaders are coached to use nonverbal cues such as extended eye contact, using vocal variety, speaking in a relaxed posture and using animated facial expression.

Charismatic leadership is less likely to emerge or flourish in a transactional (bureaucratic) culture, and is more likely within a transformational culture. Micro-management is not found in Charismatic leadership.

In conclusion, I challenge you to review the list above and take note if you are using these techniques as a leader of your organization. Identify your communication style strengths, review the verbal/nonverbal cues of a charismatic leader and contact us to further the conversation on how to become an even better leader.

If you would like to experience Forté and see for yourself how to best communicate your message over the next 30 day period, just click here. This will take less than eight minutes, you will have your results immediately upon completion and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

C.D. “Hoop” Morgan, III is the founder and chairman of The Forté Institute, LLC, a global behavioral sciences firm best known for developing and providing innovative people, process and interpersonal performance improvement solutions. Forté provides online communication style reports to more than 6,000 corporate clients throughout the globe. To learn more about the company, go to www.theforteinstitute.com or call (910) 452-5152.