Charisma Styles

Published on
May 24, 2012
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We hope you enjoyed our summary of The Charisma Myth. In this special blog post, the summary’s author, guest writer Jon Mertz takes a closer look at charisma styles:

In the book, four charisma styles are outlined – focus, visionary, kindness, and authority. There are two angles to the charisma styles. First, the style needs to fit who you are and your emotional and mental state. Charisma cannot be faked. Second, if able, you should be prepared to use a specific charisma style, when the situation requires it. In other words, you may be strong in visionary charisma with a secondary strength in authority. Some situations may require you to draw on your authority (rather than your visionary) charisma in order to get people to follow or do the work required.

In both cases, it is important to identify your charisma styles, and it is vital to assess a situation and use the style most appropriate for the time. One style may be more effective in one situation and another in a second situation. To know which one to use, there are three indicators to weigh:

  • Your personality – what feels right
  • Your goals – what you want to achieve
  • The situation – what is the context

The key points are:

  • Understand your styles
  • Apply the right style at the right time