When you think of Donald Trump, “charisma” might not be the first word that comes to mind, especially if you disagree with him politically. And yet… you’ve watched him. You’ve listened. You’ve had strong feelings about him. That’s not by accident.
Trump has charisma he has used it to win debates, negotiate deals, and it’s what ultimately led him to the White House.
There is a lot we can learn from Donald Trump’s communication, influence, and presence in our own lives to ensure we have success in business or our careers. If you want to develop charisma like Donald Trump then book a free charisma coaching discovery call below:
Charismatic Leader Tactics
There are 9 charismatic leader tactics that were identified by Antonakis in a 2011 study to understand if charisma can be taught. The 9 tactics were metaphors, stories, lists and repetitions, contrasts, moral conviction, setting high goals, creating confidence, rhetorical questions, sentiments of the collective
Trump is particularly effective at using these tactics to influence voters to ‘buy in’ to his ideas, such as:
- Metaphors : “Build the wall”
- Lists & repetition: “We’re going to win, and we’re going to win big. So much winning.”
- Moral conviction: “Make America Great Again”
In the 2011 study, they observed a group of middle managers delivering a speech in front of their co-workers and asked the colleagues to rate their speech. After the session, the middle managers were trained on the Charismatic Leader Tactics (CLT’s) and deliver another speech 6 weeks later and compared the results.
You can see from the ratings that those who used more of the CLTs rated high, being perceived as more charismatic.
Example
Here is a clip of Trump using some of the 9 Charismatic leader Tactics, how many can you spot?
Trump’s Visual Charisma
From Donald Trump’s years of working in television, it’s no surprise that he can incorporate elements of visual charisma into his presidential campaigns. How a leader looks is a more important factor than we realise; we assume someone’s competence, ability to succeed, and quality based on their body language, facial features, and attire.
Lets look at an example, which one of these political candidates do you believe won their election?
If you guessed the gentleman in the middle you would be correct!
A study conducted by Alexander Todorov found that voters do not value political policy when deciding who to vote for. In fact, they make a snap judgment based on how a person looks to decide whether they are competent.
Trump uses his face, body language, hand gestures, eye contact, and attire to communicate his leadership prowess and to persuade voters he is the best candidate for the job
Example
Take a look at this photo below, who looks more powerful, more competent, and all-around more assertive?
Look at the body language, attire, and facial expression of both individuals and forget your political beliefs, and take this photo in isolation. Which are you most likely to run a mile for? What are they communicating to you in this image?
He Seems Authentic (Even If He Isn’t)
Trump turned upside down what a ‘traditional’ politician looks like. You may have an image in your head of an educated, well-spoken, and possibly boring individual. Trump is the complete opposite; he berates, name-calls, is outspoken, controversial, and incredibly polarising.
Trump has created this attitude that he ‘Says it like it is’ which, from a psychological perspective, makes us believe he is more honest.
Research that was carried out with 3,000 participants from those in upper management or law positions (Police officers and Judges) indicates that ‘rule-breakers’ are more likely to be trusted rather than those who follow the rules consistently.
He doesn’t filter, doesn’t apologise, and doesn’t follow etiquette. That breaks the mould and for some, that’s magnetic.
Example
Watch this footage of Donald Trump during a campaign rally where he is discussing implementing a 25% tax on China. He uses the word ‘Mother Fucker’ which is very controversial for a presidential candidate, but, listen to the reaction of the crowd.
Final Thoughts
Whether you love or hate Donald Trump, you have to admit his charisma is unquestionable. He is the master at using emotion to influence and persuade others, you do not need to like him, to study what he does well.
Because if you want to be influential, if you want to speak with power, if you want to lead with presence…
You need to understand charisma.
And you need to learn how to use it your way—ethically, consciously, and skilfully.
Want to Build Charisma Without the Controversy?
If you’re a leader, professional, or public speaker who wants to:
- Speak with authority
- Influence without manipulation
- Command attention without being over-the-top
Then Charisma Coaching is for you!
Book your free Discovery Call to learn more about Charisma Coaching below:
