Charisma. You know it when you see it, but what is charisma and how can you become more charismatic?

In the How To Be Charismatic series, I explore different people and facets of charisma as I attempt to answer the question: just what is it that makes charismatic people charismatic?

How To Be Charismatic: Rudolph Valentino

Rudolph Valentino was one of the greats from the silent film era whose presence on screen and effect on women was legendary. I thought it’d be fun to go back to a cinematic age when you couldn’t rely on words or the tone of your voice to be charismatic, and you really had to focus on your body language – 55% of your communication!

Watch the first 2 minutes of this video. Boy, they sure exaggerated their acting back then, didn’t they? But did you notice Rudolph’s most obvious outer game technique?

Rudolph Valentino’s Outer Game

1) An unwavering gaze.

See how he looked at the dancing girl off-screen, even when lighting a cigarette he never took his eyes off her. Now imagine being at the receiving end of that stare – if you’re a girl you’ll probably swoon, if you’re a man – well!

The inner game of charisma is your relationship with yourself; how comfortable you are inside your own skin. The outer game is how you make other people feel around you. With a gaze like that, you’d make anyone feel like they’re the center of your world – pure magnetism.

Now I’m seeing movies in my head of manically-staring people going; ‘but Alvin said this would entrance people, not scare them away!’. Obviously in the field we’re going to need a sense of timing. I’ve read somewhere that 2 seconds, or slightly longer, is the ideal timing for holding someone’s gaze, but I’ve also heard that Bill Clinton holds people’s eyes for longer than 10! Test this out!

They really overacted back then didn’t they? But that’s what makes them the classics

2) A variety of changing facial expressions.

He uses the same skill that Bruce Lee did. Watch especially the subtle changes on his face around the 1 minute 18 seconds mark. The look on his face speaks volumes, and it just mesmerizes you, doesn’t it?

What Did You Learn About Charisma From Rudolph Valentino?

See anything I missed out? And who else do you think is charismatic that we should take a good look at?