Gary Stevenson’s charisma is far from that of the Wall Street traders we see in movies. The pinstripe suits, slicked-back hair, and cheesy white smiles are not tools that Gary Stevenson uses; in fact, the opposite. On the face of it, Gary is not charismatic; he lacks the polished finesse that we have come to expect from modern-day economic TV pundits. That’s why it works. Gary Stevenson’s charisma is based on moral conviction, experienced authority, and authenticity.
Gary Stevenson’s Charisma
There is no doubt that Gary is a breath of fresh air compared to what we expect a banker or trader to look like. A black T-shirt, Cockney accent, and buzz-cut hair are not exactly from the charisma playbook, but it works; he is using three key components of charisma:
- Moral Conviction
- Experienced Authority
- Authenticity
Let’s look at each of these individually and how I, as a charisma coach, can explain how you can use them as well.
Moral Conviction
We have seen this throughout history: individuals who speak with certainty during times of uncertainty have greater influence. Gary Stevenson’s conviction is seductive at a time when people feel like they need answers. Put yourself in the shoes of someone who is poor, fed up, and frustrated, and then you have someone like Gary Stevenson who speaks with such certainty that he knows what the problem is. It’s intoxicating, and we have seen this used by political leaders such as Donald Trump, who said, “Let’s make America great again!”, which was said with such conviction that you want to believe him.
Gary Stevenson doesn’t say:
- “Well, maybe…”
- “Perhaps…”
- “It depends…”
He talks as if it is a fact:
- “We need to tax the rich.”
- “The middle class is getting squeezed.”
- “The rich get the assets, the poor get the debt.”
When we talk to others in meetings, we do not speak with the conviction that Gary has, which means we are losing valuable charisma.
Example
Let’s take a look at Gary’s appearance on Good Morning Britain, explaining the current economic problem and why people should listen:
There are no “umms” or “errrs”; Gary is speaking with such conviction that it is hard not to believe him. Let’s look at a different example: Bill Gates trying to explain his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. This does not have the same conviction Gary has.
Experienced Authority
A huge part of Gary Stevenson’s charisma is his authority on the subject of economics. He spent years as a Citibank trader and made himself millions. As someone who saw the eerie side of the finance world, he shares the secrets and problems that many people face because he saw it firsthand. Stories shared from a first-person perspective are more persuasive because we hold people’s personal accounts in higher regard than stories told “from a friend.”
Robert Cialdini explains this in his book Influence. He explains that a key component of someone’s influence is “authority” or experience in a field. People trust experts. Demonstrating knowledge builds your credibility and positions you as a reliable guide.
If you can create authority, then you can have greater influence over others. We have seen a similar technique used by Bryan Johnson.
Example
In this example, Gary Stevenson shares his firsthand account of being a trader on the floor of one of the biggest banks in the world. Too often, people try to use data and statistics to prove a point, but here Gary is just sharing stories from his own experience. No fuss, no flash—just his personal account:
Authenticity
This is a key pillar of charisma. In fact, I would argue that without authenticity, it is impossible to be charismatic. We need to communicate with honesty, which means giving genuine compliments, laughing sincerely, and avoiding fake smiles. With Gary Stevenson’s charisma, it is very simple: he doesn’t wear flashy clothes or expensive watches that we may expect from a trader, yet he comes across as very genuine. He is transparent about how he made his money and about his message.
Example
Let’s take a look at a different type of person: Grant Cardone, a self-proclaimed business guru. I want us to compare the styles of charisma between Gary Stevenson and Grant Cardone:
Flashy suits, high production value, Hollywood smiles—while impressive, it misses something: authenticity. Let’s take a look at Gary Stevenson and compare:
Standing outside on a cold London day, no blonde babes, no private jets if anything, a little boring. Yet it comes across as far more authentic than Cardone. This increases his influence, and we believe what he is trying to say.
My Opinion on Gary Stevenson’s Charisma
Gary is not your traditional “charismatic” figurehead that you would expect to see. He is not a polished speaker or a media-trained pundit; he is unapologetically himself, and in a weird way, it works. He uses a handful of techniques that add to his charisma: speaking with assertiveness, being authentic, and becoming an expert in the field of economics.
He is a great example of the new wave of charisma, which is not about being perfect but being genuine, including your imperfections. I think this is a really powerful tool because politicians and celebrities often try too hard to be the perfect example. With crafted speeches and well-prepared answers, the public does not want that; they desire vulnerability.
I believe part of Gary Stevenson’s charisma is because he is relatable. We have all experienced what he is talking about, and that’s why we connect with him. He is not saying, “I’m a millionaire, you should be like me!” he is saying that at one point he struggled to buy biscuits, and we can all relate to that.
