The Charisma Myth

How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism

De: Olivia Fox Cabane

Narrado por: Lisa Cordileione

What if charisma could be taught? For the first time, science and technology have taken charisma apart, figured it out and turned it into an applied science: In controlled laboratory experiments, researchers could raise or lower people's level of charisma as if they were turning a dial. What you'll find here is practical magic: unique knowledge, drawn from a variety of sciences, revealing what charisma really is and how it works. You'll get both the insights and the techniques you need to apply this knowledge. The world will become your lab, and every person you meet, a chance to experiment.

The Charisma Myth is a mix of fun stories, sound science, and practical tools. Cabane takes a hard scientific approach to a heretofore mystical topic, covering what charisma actually is, how it is learned, what its side effects are, and how to handle them.

Please note: The accompanying workbook for this title is available at AskOlivia.com/book/exercises/.

©2012 Olivia Fox Cabane (P)2012 Gildan Media, LLC

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Fox Cabane's distinct writing style...makes listening to each chapter both informational and fun. Each exercise is practical and easy...If you are interested in increasing your ability to be charismatic in your unique setting or employment, this audiobook will give you direct skills to use" ( PsychologyToday.com )

An excellent treatment of a fascinating topic.

My library includes some 700 books, many about similar topics. This book is near the top. The central message of this book is that you must control your internal monologue to be effective in interpersonal interactions. The book had just the right amount of scientific data to keep a scientist interested, and just enough animated discussion to make it a delightful page turner.

I have been working on my internal monologue for many years, so this book came a bit late for me. But for those who suffer from brain ANTS (automatic negative thoughts), I recommend first that you read Feel The Fear and Do it Anyway, then this book and you will be much more effective in your daily life.

GK Chesterton is right!

What didn’t you like about Lisa Cordileione’s performance?

The plus is that the speaker's got a great voice, fun to listen to! Some opportunities: It would be helpful is the speaker offered sign posts when moving to a new section by pausing before starting it. In a written book, we can see the headers; not so, in an audio. Also it's really annoying that the reference is to "the box below". Why not ask the author/performer to modify the audiobook edition to that the speaker talks through the sidebars? I noticed in Bill OReilly's books, he makes small modifications ("in this audiobook, we'll discuss xyz"). Finally, and most importantly, the author emphasizes the importance of completing various worksheets. Why not make the worksheets easily downloadable for audio book listeners.

Any additional comments?

GK Chesterton (or maybe CS Lewis) said we need to be reminded of what we know more than we need to be taught something new. Many of these concepts are things we all know ... the reminder of their importance is invaluable!

A must have if you are in a leadership position!

Since I was young, I've always gravitated towards leadership positions even when my technical skills were lesser than my coworker's. I never really understood the reason why until I listened this audiobook.

This audiobook explains the different types of charisma and how to switch them in order to get different results. It does a good job at picturing what is charisma and how it affects whose around you.

This book helped me understand things that used to happen to me subconsciously and hindered many interactions with others.

The narration is clear and easy on the ears. The pauses are perfect and the narrator's accent is very neutral.

A lot of info presented in a hit or miss style.

When I purchased this audiobook I wasn't exactly sure what would be taught, but I was pleasantly surprised. I've studied body language for quite some time and there is a decent amount of information on using body language techniques to improve your charisma here, which I greatly enjoyed. What I enjoyed even more however, was the techniques focused on improving the inner self and the information on different styles of charisma one can use when well practiced.

There is a con here, but it is only slight and may not effect everyone else as it did I. While the narrator, Lisa, did a fine job, there were a great many times that editing (at least I think it was editing) was inserted into a sentence that sounded quite different from the normal voice. It may have been the same narrator being edited in after the fact, but it was enough to be a bit irritating and jarring for me.

With that small con aside, I will say that there is a lot of potentially useful information, a lot of which is practicable in the daily life. If even a fraction of it makes one more charismatic and confident then it is worth it. I think that eventually I will be going back through this audiobook again, due to all of the information.

4.5 out of 5 for me.

Fantastic. Easy and invaluable listen.

Great insight into a difficult area of expertise that the author makes easy to understand and implement. Recommended must listen, at least twice!