Cultivating stress-free relationships in your life takes time and practice. One tool that enables such relationships to grow is charisma. However, most people, including heads of state, chief executives, parents, teachers, and other leaders, are not born with the power to inspire.
For much of human history leaders have been depicted as having various characteristics. The topic has been of interest to me since my masters’ thesis included a study of leadership characteristics.
Leadership is now commonly defined as a social process, as opposed to a trait, that enables a person to motivate others to help achieve group goals. Having this trait often has a side benefit of fostering stress-free relationships.
Leaders often have some kind of charisma by using language that establishes a sense of shared identity, such as referring to “us” and “we” rather than “me.”
In truth, charisma is the outcome of careful craftsmanship. The good news is that recent findings suggest we all can learn to cultivate our own charisma. The trait is not something that we either possess or lack. Rather it is something we can actively construct and use in all our relationships.
Make People Matter for Stress-Free Relationships
When President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, a reporter asked one of the mourners waiting to see his funeral train at Washington’s Union Station, “Why are you here? Did you know Franklin Roosevelt?” The mourner is said to have replied, “No, but he knew me.”
In short, charismatic leaders are those who succeed in making us matter.
This brings to mind the old teaching aphorism: “Young people don’t care how much you know until they know you care.”
If you’re looking for stress management advice, check out the book Live Without Stress: How to Enjoy the Journey. It’s available as a print book and as a Kindle download.
