DECKED out in her best black pants and rhinestone tank top, dark unruly mane tossed over her shoulders, Janet Gredler sits at one of a dozen intimate tables in a darkened bar and surveys a smorgasbord of eligible males -- handsome rogues, cherubic charmers and brainy entrepreneurs.
She and about two dozen men and women are here because they have the confidence and chutzpah to participate in a grueling white-knuckle phenomenon known as "speed dating." If ever there was a Darwin-esque event designed to favor the socially astute, this is it.
The daters are presentable, attractive and engaging. But for all the attention and effort they will put into showcasing their strengths, the one characteristic that will set them apart in these abbreviated meetings is something they've probably never considered. It's charisma.
In interpersonal relationships, politics and business, this mysterious quality often trumps appearance, personality and, sadly, even character.
At no time in history has charisma wielded such a mighty social sword, media experts say. Where once we formed impressions based on lengthy face-to-face contact, books and letters, we now also rely on information fed rapid-fire and piecemeal through iPods, e-mail and sound bites.
"If you're a business leader or an office manager, you've really got to have some measure of charisma to succeed these days," says Jackson Bain, founder and chairman of the Alexandria, Va.-based communications counseling firm Bain and Associates. Bain has been teaching media skills to executives and politicians for more than 20 years. "You have to be able to make a strong first impression very quickly," he says.
Recognizing the need for that elusive "something," business schools are teaching a charismatic leadership style incorporating vision, passion and personal connection to employees; self-improvement gurus and authors are making buckets of cash by promising to transform the shy or lovelorn into dynamic entrepreneurs and fearless Casanovas; and political consultants are routinely tutoring their clients on how to harness it.
Perhaps nowhere is the force of charisma more apparent than in the political arena, where having a boatful of charisma is like holding four aces. In California's gubernatorial campaign, Democrats Steve Westly and Phil Angelides, neither of whom are generally referred to as sizzling, have struggled to identify themselves to an electorate at times bedazzled by the hugely charismatic incumbent, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Despite political stumbles, Schwarzenegger has a virtual reservoir of charisma-power, built over years of exposure in films and public life, says Tracy Westen, chief executive of the nonpartisan Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles. That will stand him in good stead as he faces the winner of the June 6 primary in November.
"It's very hard to drain it," says Westen, also an adjunct professor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication. "It's like Cary Grant running for office. A few encounters won't change that reservoir."
And in any given election, he says, about a third of voters will base their vote on a candidate's charisma. "Some voters focus on issues, while some are short-cutters and look to endorsements," Westen says. "Then there's the third group that looks at the personalities or characteristics of the candidate. And those are very much influenced by charisma."
Charisma is not constant. It changes with circumstances, perception and, sometimes, the way it's used. But in today's environment, the spoils often go to whoever can communicate likability, intelligence, competence and leadership -- all neatly assembled in one package -- the fastest. In short, the most charismatic, be it in a bar or a boardroom.
But even as daters, business leaders and politicians scramble to master it, neuropsychologists and social scientists are still struggling to determine exactly how charisma works.
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Intangible, but powerful
Charisma, by its nature, is elusive and difficult to study, but most experts agree that it involves a combination of enthusiasm, extroversion and good listening skills.
More specifically, they suggest that charismatic individuals have more variance in the pitch of their speech -- that is, their speech pattern goes up and down -- they are more likely to smile and initiate physical contact and, consciously or unconsciously, they tend to mimic the body language of their listener.
But there's something else too. Charismatic people appear to tune in to other people to the exclusion of all else, leaving the recipients of all this glorious attention believing that there has been an emotional connection. As a result of the contact, the recipients feel special and consequently good about themselves.
In short, recipients get a quick snort of happy dust. A mood boost.
