The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism

by Olivia Fox Cabane

Overview

What if charisma could be taught?

The charisma myth is the idea that charisma is a fundamental, inborn quality—you either have it (Bill Clinton, Steve Jobs, Oprah) or you don’t. But that’s simply not true, as Olivia Fox Cabane reveals. Charismatic behaviors can be learned and perfected by anyone.

Drawing on techniques she originally developed for Harvard and MIT, Cabane breaks charisma down into its components. Becoming more charismatic doesn’t mean transforming your fundamental personality. It’s about adopting a series of specific practices that fit in with the personality you already have.

The Charisma Myth shows you how to become more influential, more persuasive, and more inspiring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781591845942
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	03/26/2013
Pages:	272
Sales rank:	60,355
Product dimensions:	5.55(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.75(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Olivia Fox Cabane has lectured at Stanford, Yale, Harvard, MIT, and the United Nations. As an executive coach to the leadership of Fortune 500 companies, her clients include Google, Deloitte, and Citigroup. She is a regular columnist for Forbes and has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, and The Wall Street Journal.

For more information about the book, please visit: www.CharismaMyth.com

For more information about Olivia Fox Cabane, please visit: www.AskOlivia.com

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 Charisma Demystified 9

2 The Charismatic Behaviors: Presence, Power, and Warmth 13

3 The Obstacles to Presence, Power, and Warmth 27

4 Overcoming the Obstacles 43

5 Creating Charismatic Mental States 67

6 Different Charisma Styles 98

7 Charismatic First Impressions 115

8 Speaking-and Listening-with Charisma 128

9 Charismatic Body Language 143

10 Difficult Situations 165

11 Presenting with Charisma 187

12 Charisma in a Crisis 201

13 The Charismatic Life: Rising to the Challenge 206

Conclusion 222

Recommended Resources 225

Chapter Summaries 229

Charisma Exercises 235

Acknowledgments 245

Notes 247

About the Author 257

Index 258

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“The top book I’ve read all year.”
—Dr. Tina Seelig, Executive Director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at Stanford University's School of Engineering, and author of inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity .
“Olivia Fox Cabane offers hands-on advice and a practical guide to humanizing leaders without comprising integrity or authority. She focused on the ‘it’ factors that can make a real difference.”
—Laura Lang, CEO, Time Inc.

“Cabane has done us a big favor. She’s woven solid science and engaging narrative into an instructive treatment of the role of charisma in leadership—a topic that (until now) we only poorly understood.”
—Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence

“If you are interested in increasing your ability to be charismatic in your unique setting or employment, this book will give you direct skills to use.”
—Psychology Today

“The Charisma Myth is an easy read, effectively integrating stories and research, strategies and applications, techniques and practices.”
— New York Journal of Books

“We can’t all be as charismatic as Alexander the Great or Madonna, but with Cabane’s help, we can sure get close!”
—Marshall Goldsmith, author of Mojo

Editorial Reviews

The top book I’ve read all year.”
—Dr. Tina Seelig, Executive Director for the Stanford Technology Ventures Program (STVP), the entrepreneurship center at Stanford University's School of Engineering, and  author of inGenius: A Crash Course on Creativity . 
“Olivia Fox Cabane offers hands-on advice and a practical guide to humanizing leaders without comprising integrity or authority. She focused on the ‘it’ factors that can make a real difference.”
—Laura Lang, CEO, Time Inc.

 

“Cabane has done us a big favor. She’s woven solid science and engaging narrative into an instructive treatment of the role of charisma in leadership—a topic that (until now) we only poorly understood.”
—Robert B. Cialdini, author of Influence

“If you are interested in increasing your ability to be charismatic in your unique setting or employment, this book will give you direct skills to use.”
—Psychology Today

“The Charisma Myth is an easy read, effectively integrating stories and research, strategies and applications, techniques and practices.”
— New York Journal of Books

“We can’t all be as charismatic as Alexander the Great or Madonna, but with Cabane’s help, we can sure get close!”
—Marshall Goldsmith, author of Mojo

From the Publisher

"Cabane has done us a big favor. She's woven solid science and engaging narrative into an instructive treatment of the role of charisma in leadership-a topic that (until now) we only poorly understood."

Robert B. Cialdini

"Cabane has done a masterful job of pulling together scientific findings and personal insights to present a coherent and compelling view of charisma. This book is engaging, clear, and chock-full of wisdom, practical recommendations, and uncommonly good sense."

Stephen Kosslyn

"Practical and groundbreaking: Cabane combines a compelling analysis and breakdown of the key elements of charisma, with practical and easy to understand advice and exercises for developing one's own charisma. Highly recommended to anyone seeking an easily approachable and engaging guide to developing their own charismatic skills"

Blog Business World

"Charisma Myth is an easy read, effectively integrating stories and research, strategies and applications, techniques and practices."

New York Journal of Books

"Fox Cabane's distinct writing style...makes reading each chapter both informational and fun. Each exercise is practical and easy...If you are interested in increasing your ability to be charismatic in your unique setting or employment, this book will give you direct skills to use"

PsychologyToday.com