189.Essential Skill in Leadership | Charisma

Links for today's episode:
Blog post for today: https://www.kathieowen.com/blog/charisma-in-the-workplace
Video about Kathie’s superpower: https://youtu.be/mv95XVPqUCU

In this episode of the Top Workplace Wellness podcast:
Host and corporate wellness expert Kathie Owen delves into the concept of charisma, exploring insights from 'The Charisma Myth' by Olivia Fox Cabane.

Kathie explains how power, presence, and warmth—the three key elements of charisma—can transform leadership styles. She also discusses her unique ability to read micro-expressions, developed through her experience with complex PTSD, and offers practical tips to enhance leadership charisma.

Tune in to learn how to develop charisma to boost your leadership and communication skills in the workplace.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Workplace Wellness
00:22 Understanding Charisma
01:10 The Three Components of Charisma
02:40 Power: Building Confidence
02:58 Presence: Engaging Fully
03:23 Warmth: Creating Comfort
03:49 Transforming Leadership Styles
05:15 Personal Journey and Insights
06:47 Practical Tips for Developing Charisma
09:17 Conclusion and Next Steps

Transcript

0:00

Hello, my friend. Welcome back to top workplace wellness podcast and YouTube channel. My name is Kathie Owen. Your host and corporate wellness expert. Today, we're diving into a topic I absolutely love teaching in my corporate wellness, leadership and communication programs. And that topic is charisma. And specifically. How the concepts from the book, The Charisma Myth by Olivia Fox Cabane can totally transform your leadership styles. Be sure to check the links in the description and show notes below. To every video that I do, I always include a blog post that has bonus resources, including the book and more so be sure to check that out in the links, in the description and show notes below. You know, charisma is one of those things that people think you either have, or you don't. But what I'm here to share with you today is you can learn charisma. Charisma is skill anyone can develop. And in this episode, we are going to break down how power presence and warmth the three key elements of charisma can make you a more effective and inspiring leader. Plus I'll be sharing how my experience with complex post-traumatic stress disorder has given me unique insights into reading micro-expressions and understanding these charisma components on a deeper level. So, whether you're leading a team. Building wellness initiatives or just looking to boost your communication skills. This one's for you. Let's dive in. So let's start with what charisma really is. In the charisma myth, Olivia Fox Cobane debunks, the idea that charisma is something only a select few people have. And maybe they're just born with it. You don't need to be super extroverted. Or naturally charming to be charismatic. In fact, it's a skill that you could develop through practice. And anyone can do it. Olivia Fox Cobane breaks down charisma into three components, power presence, and warmth. These are the building blocks of charisma. And they work together to help people find trust in you, respect you. And even feel connected to you. And as a leader, that's exactly what you want. Let's start with power. This is not how much authority you have. Or how loud your voice is in the room. It's about confidence. It's about making people believe, you know what you're doing. That your competent. And that you can handle whatever situation comes your way. Next we have presence. This is such a big one in today's world. Where we're constantly distracted with our phones, emails, and meetings. Presence means being fully engaged with the people or the person right in front of you. When you're truly present the people around you feel heard valued and understood.. And that builds connection. And finally there's warmth. Warmth is about making people feel comfortable and cared for. It's that sense of genuine kindness and empathy. That makes others trusts you. This is where emotional intelligence comes into play. And leadership being warm means creating an environment where your team feels safe to express themselves and confident that you have their best interests at heart. Now let's talk about how power presence and warmth. Can transform your leadership style in the workplace. As someone who spent over a decade in corporate wellness. I've seen leaders who really get this. And leaders who. Well, they just don't. Let me give you an example. Imagine a leader. Who's all about power. They're competent. Sure. But they come across as distant. Or even a little intimidating. Their team might respect them. But they don't feel comfortable approaching them. On the flip side, there's the leader. Who's all about warmth. Everyone loves them but they might struggle to make real decisions. Or lead with authority. The goal is to strike a balance. When you can integrate all three, the power, the presence, and the warmth. You create this magnetic leadership. Where people not only trust you. And your abilities. But also feel genuinely connected to you. And that's where the magic happens. Your team becomes more engaged. More motivated. And more productive. And my corporate wellness programs. I teach leaders how to develop these skills. In a very practical way. Whether it's leading a health fair. Communicating new wellness initiatives. Or just improving every day team interactions. Charisma plays a huge role in how your team responds to you. Now I want to share something about my own journey. As many of you know, I was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder many years ago. And while it's been a challenge. It's also given me a unique gift. I did a video on this and I'll link it in the show notes and description below. But that gift. Is the ability to read micro-expressions. These are the tiny, almost imperceptible facial expressions. That reveal what people are truly feeling. Even if they're trying to hide it. This ability has helped me become much more attuned to the emotional. undercurrents in the workplace. It's like having this little superpower that allows me to connect with people on a deeper level. And tailor my leadership style. To what they really need in the moment. Coaching as well. For example, if I'm leading a meeting, and someone gives a quick look of frustration. Maybe their eyes narrow. Or their smile doesn't quite reached their eyes. I can pick up on that and address it. I might ask if they have concerns or ideas they want to share. Because that's how you build trust and improve communication. And this ties directly into the concept of presence. When you're fully present with someone, you notice these cues. You're not just hearing the words they say. You're reading their body language their tone and their micro-expressions. This is how you connect with your team on a much deeper level. So, how do we develop charisma? Especially in the leadership context. Here are a few practical tips from the book, the charisma myth that I've seen work wonders. Both in my own leadership journey and the leaders that I coach. Number one mindfulness for presence. One of the best ways to develop presence is through mindfulness. This could be as simple as taking a deep breath right before a meeting. And reminding yourself to focus on the person in front of you. Not your watch when it buzzes. Because it sounds easy, but in our busy world, like the watch buzzing. That's a distraction and it can be a game changer. Number two power posing. What is that? Cabane talks about the concept of power posing. Where you take a stance that boosts your confidence. Think standing tall, hands on your hips. And chin up. This actually changes the way you feel internally. And helps you project more confidence. And number three, warmth through empathy. For warmth, we want to practice empathy. This can be as simple as asking your team how they're feeling. Not just in terms of work but as human beings. Show them that you care about their wellbeing. And they'll actually feel that warmth coming from you. And of course always be aware of your body language. And micro expressions. I know I make a lot of eyebrow expressions. My. Eyebrows are high component of my micro expressions. But if you notice I smile a lot and I keep that warmth going and the confidence by taking a deep breath, holding my shoulders back, I teach. Body language and posture in my personal training, I've done it for many, many years. Not only do you propel that outside, but you feel it inside. Just think of a smile when you smile, you send signals to your brain, that everything is okay. It's been scientifically researched. Besides that if you're frowning or your posture is off. You might be sending a message you don't intend to. I know I've seen a lot of upper-level management or walk around the building with a frown on their face. And that just sends the wrong signal across the board. So little adjustments can go a long way. So there you have it. The charisma myth is not just a great read. It's actually a roadmap to becoming a more effective charismatic leader. By developing power presence and warmth. You connect with your team in ways that inspire trust engagement and motivation. And remember charisma, isn't something that you're just born with. It's actually something you can learn, develop, and grow with over time. I've seen it firsthand in my own experience. And I know you can apply it to. If you'd like to dive deeper into these concepts or learn more about how to develop charisma in your own workplace. Be sure to check out the book, I'll have a link to it in the show notes and description below and the blog post that goes along with this episode. And also I do have a program called top workplace wellness, and I do teach leadership workshops from time to time. So be sure to subscribe to my channel. Hit that little bell. So you never miss a video from me to learn more. Because I'd love to help you take your leadership and communication to the next level. Thanks for watching. And of course, if you're listening on the podcast, be sure to leave a review. It really helps the show grow. Until next time. Stay inspired. Stay engaged. And remember you have the power to lead with charisma. All right. That's my episode for today. I trust that you found it helpful. If you know someone who could benefit from this, please share it with them. And until next time I will see you next time, peace out and Namaste. Bing!