How to Be More Charismatic, but Not Too Much More

Aspecial quality sets some people apart from the crowd. They are magnetic to be around, attractive to watch, hypnotic to listen to. They have, in a word, charisma. It seems like a divine grace—indeed, the word derives from the ancient Greek χάρισμα, meaning “God’s gift.” The word appeared in third-century B.C.E. Greek translations of the Hebrew Bible, and early Christians referred to charismata as blessings bestowed on believers such as prophecy, healing, and speaking in tongues.