Charming people are generally more successful than their less charming counterparts.  In fact, charm is the single most important quality you can possess if you want to be a leader.  But what is it that charming people do differently than anyone else?  Charming people simply have taught themselves a few skills that anyone can master.

To be more charming…

-Greet everyone you meet as if he were very special.  Do this with strangers and longtime acquaintances alike.

-Be free with a “thank you”.   Thank everyone for every reason you can find.  Thank your spouse for listening to your problems, (even if your spouse is the problem!).  Thank your employees for their work, even when they are just doing their job.  Thank the maitre d’ for trying to find you a table, even if it was he who lost your reservation in the first place.

-Pay attention.  Listen to people as if you were hanging on to their every word.  Lean forward slightly, nod every minute or two, focus on the speaker’s eyes.

-Praise people’s efforts.  We have an unquenchable need to be reassured that we are worth of praise.  If you feed this need in people, they will repeat whatever behavior earned them your praise, hoping they will get more.

-Find something to admire.  Compliment something about everyone you meet.  Your compliments don’t need to be about big things- sometimes it is more appreciated when we notice the little things that everyone else overlooks, a new pair of earrings, or an interesting tie.

The point of these skills isn’t to make us more appealing to others; it’s to make the people we meet more appealing to themselves.  Make someone’s day, boost their self-esteem, and your own in the process!