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75-100% - You rate high in charisma, which means you share the same
charismatic qualities as people like Marilyn Monroe and Bill Clinton. The good
news is you possess presence, warmth and power. People tend to gravitate to you
and look to you for leadership. Your words carry a certain weight that affects how
people feel, not just about you, but also about themselves. Your charisma makes
you persuasive, influential and inspiring.
The bad news is your charisma can have real consequences for you. Charismatic
people can often get trapped in what is called the Superman Effect, which can
have several downsides.
1.

Because you are seen as a leader, you are seen as special or superhuman. This can
often turn into isolation and loneliness as those around you stop relating to you on a
personal level. It will be harder to find honest advice.

2.

You will be held to higher standards. Just like CEOs and celebrities, people will expect
more from you and be more likely to ask you for help, which can put you under a lot of
pressure.

3.

When used in the right way, your charisma can help you accomplish great things and
make a positive impact on peoples lives. However, charisma can also be used to
manipulate others, rather than to help them. Doing this is not only unethical; it will also lead
people to mistrust you and can cause real damage to everyone around you.

4.

People may start to envy you. There will always be people that will resent you for
attracting attention, especially if its paired with success. They may even try to sabotage
you. Remember to give others credit for their contribution in your success and to
encourage others to succeed.

40-75% - You possess some charismatic qualities, but not all of them are fully
developed. The good news is that if youre interested in becoming more
charismatic, these skills can be learned and improved upon. Try some of these
simple tricks:
1.

Look people in the eyes when having a conversation with them. This will improve your
presence and warmth.

2.

Be present, and dont get distracted. If you have trouble being attentive when someone
is speaking to you, focus on the feeling in your toes for a split second, then return to the

conversation. This makes your brain scan your physical body, which brings your presence
back to the present moment.
3.

Understand that negative thoughts are normal. Up to 80% of the population have been
in situations where they feel they do not belong or are not good enough to be there.
Understand this is a normal feeling and your negative thoughts are not reality; they are
simply thoughts that can be changed and erased.

4.

Negate any negative thoughts from your mind. If youre uncomfortable or stressed,
imagine a wonderful experience or recall a pleasant memory. It can be anything: a movie,
your pet, etc. If someone else makes you upset, use empathy, even if you have to imagine
that something bad happened to them that morning or they are going through hard times.
Anything to make you feel better about that person.

5.

Up your energy level. People are attracted to someone who is enthusiastic and full of
life. Practice martial arts, dance or yoga, anything that will help you command the space
around you and give you energy.

0-40% - You score low on charisma, which means you are not comfortable being
the center of attention. If you have no desire to improve your personal charisma, it
is perfectly okay. Charisma is neither a sign of intelligence nor a predictor of
success. In fact, in an MIT study of 100-year-old European corporations, less
charismatic leaders were more effective than highly charismatic leaders. Why?
Because charismatic leaders have an easier time persuading others to follow their
course of action. The problem is, when that course of action is wrong, the company
will find itself quickly going in the wrong direction.
Instead, the study found that a combination of intelligence and conservatism
proved to be much more effective. Leaders that took the time to listen and learn
about their companies and their industry had a greater level of successfully leading
their organizations.
If, on the other hand, you would like to improve your personal charisma, focus
on these general rules:
1.

Be as self-confident as possible. Optimism about yourself can go a long way to making

you more charismatic. At the very least, do not talk about your issues in the workplace or in
a setting where your impression matters. If you need help with personal things, seek help
either from friends, family or professionals.

2.

In conversation and in social settings, be careful when using humor. Dont be too selfdeprecating, and stay away from bad jokes. Instead, be tuned in with current events and

with what is going on around you. It is better to give a compliment and know an interesting
fact than to try to make fun of yourself.
3.

Dont ever fake a smile. People will be able to tell right away. Instead, no matter what
you look like or how you feel, own the space around you by being open and approachable.

4.

Dont have an ego during a conversation. If you are an introvert, it is much better to
learn to ask great questions than to learn to speak about yourself for ten minutes straight.

5.

Following from the last point, be an active listener. Youll be amazed how attractive you
will be when you ask a few questions and actively listen to what people have to say.

Sources:
Why Good Leaders Dont Need Charisma
http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-good-leaders-dont-need-charisma/
5 Qualities of Charismatic People. How Many Do You Have?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/deniserestauri/2012/05/03/5-qualities-of-charismaticpeople-how-many-do-you-have/
Superman Effect
http://spitfireteam.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/LeadershipExcellence.pdf
We Can Measure the Power of Charisma by Alex Sandy Pentland. Harvard
Business Review, January-February 2010. Pg. 34-35