This is the last in our series in how to wow with charisma. We’ve looked at Vocal Expression of Emotion, Contagious Laughter, Expressive Face, and more. Here are three more tips to help you stand out from the crowd in a good way.
[ctt tweet=”Practice these behaviors to have more charisma so you stand out from the crowd in a good way.” coverup=”kfb6M”]
Outgoing With Strangers
In a survey that Sims Wyeth & Co. conducted a few years ago, those who self-identified as introverts preferred the company of extroverts. And extroverts felt the same way.
Let’s face it, it’s fun to be in the company of someone who can easily break down the barriers between people and create a lively social experience.
I admire people who are able to go up to strangers and engage them in real conversation. I’m not talking about backslapping and amped-up, testosterone-driven horse play. What I like is directness, openness, and the ability to listen.
Capable of a Seductive Glance
A seductive glance is hard to define, but we know it when we see it. I’ve seen it on babies. I’ve certainly seen it on my wife (she’s very skilled at this). And I have to confess that as a teenager, I practiced my seductive glance for hours in front of the mirror. It was sort of a hazy, hooded-eye cock of the head.
William Blake, the great English poet (and watercolorist) wrote:
We are led to believe in lies
When we see with, not through the eyes
A good seductive glance is similarly made not with the eyes but through them. It penetrates the seen and the seer.
Good at Pantomime
Pantomime differs from kinesthetic responsiveness in that it’s more intentional and sustained. Pantomime is the ability to act out a narrative, to use the body to help listeners visualize what you’re saying. It’s also related to having an expressive face, in that the more your audience can read in your body language, the more they grasp your meaning and enjoy your company.
I see many young people telling each other stories and acting out what happened while saying, “He went like… and I was like… and then he went…” without any words to describe the action, just pantomime, and everyone seems to be enjoying themselves.
Using your hands to help describe a point in your presentation is acceptable and effective. In fact, your listeners can lose up to 75 percent of your meaning if you don’t use your hands. Just make sure that you gesture and don’t gesticulate. What’s the difference? Gestures are deliberate, shaped and sustained for a purpose, whereas gesticulation can make you look like you’re being attacked by a swarm of bees.