Meetup : Montreal - How to be charismatic
post by bartimaeus · 2014-05-08T00:26:33.998Z · LW · GW · Legacy · 5 commentsContents
Discussion article for the meetup : Montreal - How to be charismatic Discussion article for the meetup : Montreal - How to be charismatic None 5 comments
Discussion article for the meetup : Montreal - How to be charismatic
Charisma isn't just "something you're born with"; it's a specific set of behaviors that can be learned by anyone. You can practice these skills, and work on the three main areas of charisma: presence, power and warmth.
I'll present some of the exercises found in The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism (by Olivia Fox Cabane), and we'll see if we can find some fun ways of practicing!
If anyone has any good ideas for locations, please let me know; ideally, we would want a location where we can talk loudly without fear of bothering anyone. If the weather permits, we could do it outside.
Discussion article for the meetup : Montreal - How to be charismatic
5 comments
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comment by EGarrett · 2014-05-09T22:37:53.077Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
I did a lot of research into this for my youtube channel, and I also watched some of the Olivia Fox stuff, I think there are a few things that matter and aren't covered in the general theory, like being unrehearsed. I assumed this was covered under "presence," but the way it's described, it sounds like it's the same category as "warmth."
The main thing I noticed that makes a lot of intelligent people uncharismatic is that their speech doesn't match their train of thought. Possibly because they are thinking about too many things at once. I do this a lot when I'm not paying attention, and it makes you speak too quickly, not enunciate, and often mumble or have an unnatural tone to your voice. When you can stick to one train of thought and slow your words down until they match the speed of that one train of thought, you'll find that you naturally pick up the inflection, clear pronunciation, and changes in tone and rhythm that communicate your meaning more clearly and make you sound far more confident and engaging.
It's much easier to demonstrate this speaking out loud instead of in-text, but that would be something great to focus on at the meet-up.
Replies from: JQuinton, bartimaeus↑ comment by JQuinton · 2014-05-13T18:21:29.541Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
I did a lot of research into this for my youtube channel
Where is your YouTube channel? I'd be interested in looking at the charisma stuff you've posted.
Replies from: EGarrett↑ comment by EGarrett · 2014-05-13T22:12:15.973Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Oh, I haven't posted anything on it yet, but I was researching it in order to work on my own narration. The channel is at youtube.com/StoryBrain and is devoted largely to books and movies and my own theories I developed working as a Story Analyst, sort-of like Freakonomics for Entertainment. If you like the videos, subscribe, I have tons of stuff planned. :)
↑ comment by bartimaeus · 2014-05-10T18:46:00.431Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
I agree, and I'll keep that in mind. The topic is extremely broad, though, so I don' t know how much time I'll have to focus on it. I'm actually thinking of having several meetups on this, depending on people's interest.
comment by John_D · 2014-05-23T10:58:41.637Z · LW(p) · GW(p)
Charismatic to whom? For example, I personally think Christopher Hitchens was charismatic, even if he wasn't particularly warm. Even possessing all three traits mentioned above, you're not going to look charismatic trying to sell Satanism to Evangelical Christians. The content of what you say also matters.