Is Passion Enough to Make One Charismatic?

I was conversing with someone on the topic of charisma recently.  He shared that when he coached his team to be more engaging, he felt passion was the most important element.

While passion is an important attribute of charismatic people, it is not that simple.  How many of us have experienced a passionate person who had the effect of being annoying and turned us off?  Most of us have.

I teach in my Charisma Clinic (TM) Workshop that charisma is being able to draw others in rather than push people away.  Many presenters do not realize that what other see, hear or feel from them is having that negative effect.  And as a result, those they communicate with are less receptive to the message.

There are a number of folks with big personalities and lots of passion, like Donald Trump.  He tends to push people away rather than draw them in.  So based on my definition, he is not charismatic.  In contrast, Ronald Reagan, masterfully drew people in.

Each of us has natural tendencies that draw others in or inadvertently push people away.  The workshop helps each participant identify what their natural strengths are and to minimize the tendencies that push others away.

My 7 Cs which are the characteristics of charismatic presenters:

• Confidence
• Competence
• Credibility
• Care (this includes passion)
• A Connection with the audience
• Conversational Delivery
• Compelling Content