We all have that friend who lights up a room – the one that seems blessed with that mystical je ne sais quoi that sets some people apart. There’s an indescribable quality about them that makes them stand out, and they have a magnetism that draws people towards them, because it feels good just to be in their company.
We call it charisma, but what exactly is it? It’s ambiguous and undefinable, yet we recognise its spell easily. We believe it to be a natural gift bestowed upon a lucky few; that it helps if you’re attractive; that only extroverts can be charismatic; and that you either have it or you don’t. But is that really the whole truth of it?
Olivia Fox Cabane, a charisma coach and author of (Penguin, £10.99), believes that it’s a trait that is, in fact, a skill honed through specific behaviours, rather than an elusive,
