Dan Strutzel - The Power of Charisma: Harnessing the C-Factor to Inspire Change

THE POWER OF CHARISMA

THE POWER OF CHARISMA

HARNESSING THE C-FACTOR TO INSPIRE CHANGE

DAN STRUTZEL and TRACI SHOBLOM

Published by Gildan Media LLC

aka G&D Media

www.GandDmedia.com

THE POWER OF CHARISMA. Copyright 2017, 2018 by Dan Strutzel and Traci Shoblom. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used, reproduced or transmitted in any manner whatsoever, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. No liability is assumed with respect to the use of the information contained within. Although every precaution has been taken, the author and publisher assume no liability for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

FIRST TRADE PAPERBACK EDITION 2018

Front Cover image: David Rheinhardt of Pyrographx

Interior design by Meghan Day Healey of Story Horse, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available upon request

ISBN: 978-1-7225-1008-4

eISBN: 978-1-7225-2008-3

Manufactured in the United States of America by LSC Communications

10987654321

Contents

PART ONE
What is the C-Factor?

PART TWO
Applying the C-Factor

THE POWER OF CHARISMA

Preface

I was having an off day. Nothing too major, just the regular life stuff. As a husband, father of two, and the vice-president of new product development for Nightingale-Conant, I had a lot on my plate. So on my way to work that day, I wasnt thinking too much about the fact that I was about to meet one of the biggest names in personal development. I was thinking about an argument Id had with my teenage daughter that morning and the Chicago traffic I found myself stuck in.

But as I walked in the front door of the office, I could immediately sense a different energy. Its hard to describe, really. Everything looked the same. The receptionist was there, as usual. I walked by Vic Conants office, and he was at his desk with a cup of coffee, on the phone. Our engineer and producer, Dave Kuenstle, was gathering his notes before we headed into the studio. But something felt different. He hadnt even arrived yet, but Mark Victor Hansen, coauthor of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, was already having an effect on the energy of the office.

Reflecting back on that now, I realize that I was feeling the impact of charisma. Pretty much everyone agrees that Mark Victor Hansen is the epitome of a charismatic individual. But how remarkable that his personal charisma could affect the energy and mood of others even when he wasnt around!

It was then that I started to think about charisma and began to notice certain qualities in the people I worked with. Each one of them had charisma, but not always in the Tony Robbins kind of way. Some were quieter and more gentle, like Ken Blanchard or Marianne Williamson. Others possessed an everyman quality, like John Cummuta and Luanne Oakes. But whether someone was a Wayne Dyer or a Deepak Chopra, every single one of the successful people I worked with had some form of charisma.

For years, that stuck in my mind. How can something as powerful as charisma look so different on different people? Does everyone have charisma? If not, can you get it? Thats where Traci Shoblom enters the story.

I first met Traci, my coauthor, in 2008. She had been writing the workbooks that went into our audio programs for years, and we had worked with many of the same people, but had never met in person. We were going to create a program from scratch, called the FlexBrain Method, and I flew to Los Angeles so that she and I could have a brainstorming session over dinner in Redondo Beach.

It was an instant friendship! You know the kindwhere you meet someone and within five minutes its as if youd known them your whole life. We talked about FlexBrain, yes. But we also spent hours talking about success and sharing stories of working with so many of the worlds most influential people. Oh, that reminds me when I worked with him, this one time The evening flew by with laughter and great food, and our collaborative partnership was cemented.

When The FlexBrain Method came to be, we both had already learned that the brain has the ability to change and grow throughout peoples lives. In the back of my mind I kept thinking, Charisma has to be something that can be learned. But the timing wasnt right to pursue it. Nightingale-Conant was busier than ever, and with my travel schedule and studio sessions, and a deeply personal loss, the topic of charisma was put on the back burner.

Years later, over another brainstorming session (in a loud Mexican restaurant with some margaritas and tacos), Traci and I were talking about the qualities that make someone rise to the top of their field. We were getting ready to create The Top 2%, and were looking at what makes someone a success. We didnt call it charisma at the time. We called it rapport with others, and it included many of the qualities that are now in this book. We didnt know it at the time, but the C-Factor had been conceived.

The Top 2% was a huge success and has taken on a life of its own. The print copy has been on sale for years now, and it has changed the lives of thousands of people.

Last summer, as I looked around at the political landscape, the business world, and at the apparent dichotomy between the haves and the have-nots, I realized that the time was finally right to explore the power of charisma. Traci and I began asking some important questions. What is charisma? Can you have it and not know it? Can charisma be used for bad?

Thats how The Power of Charisma was born. We are both incredibly excited at how this book turned out and at the potential it has to change lives. To change your life.

If there is one thing I have learned from all the authors Ive worked with over the years, its this: we do have the power to change the world around us. But it starts with changing ourselves. And the C-Factor is a great way to do just that.

Happy reading!

Dan Strutzel

Introduction

I Love Bacon

It was a strange way to open an interview. Dont judge me, Tracey, but I love bacon! I love a good burger! The interviewer was Gayle King, Oprahs best friend and coanchor of CBS This Morning. She was interviewing Tracey Stewart, wife of former television host Jon Stewart, on being vegan. Ever gracious, Tracey replied, I love many people who love a good burger! After a laugh, the interview continued.

Ending more than fifteen years as host of The Daily Show