Handsome, charming, pretty, attractive, smart these adjectives regarding personality cannot be described. Similarly ugly, unattractive, disfigured, obese, skinny, fair, stout also cannot be defined. But then why do we call some people ‘charismatic’? A variety of factors can make a person charismatic. They include but are not limited to confidence, energy, optimism, expressive body language, and a passionate voice. People with charisma are often enthusiastic and speak with assertiveness. APJ Abdul Kalam, the “Missile Man of India,” was a renowned scientist, a visionary leader, and the 11th President of India. With a charismatic and humble personality, he left an indelible mark on the nation. Known for his unwavering love for students and education, Kalam was a true inspiration to countless individuals, he was charismatic because of his research, his speech, his warmth and his love for education. He was not a handsome man.

People with charisma tend to project calmness, self-confidence, assertiveness, honesty, authenticity, enthusiasm and, almost always, they have excellent communication skills. These traits are supported by positive body language transmitted through their posture, facial expressions, eye contact and hand movements. Narendra Modi, the present PM of India, completed his higher secondary education in Vadnagar in 1967; his teachers described him as an average student in education but a gifted debater with an interest in theatre. He preferred playing larger-than-life characters in theatrical productions, which has influenced his political image. His dialogue delivery is excellent and prompt.  He can talk about any situation with mastery. He has great fan following in the world.

Charismatic people possess an irresistible charm that draws others to them, enabling them to forge strong connections, inspire trust, and lead effectively. Colorful, debonair, mischievous and romantic, Dev Anand’s personality is best manifested in the song he sang in Hum Dono: Main zindagi ka saath nibhata chala gaya; har fiqr ko dhuen mein udata chala gaya…. Hema Malini’s mother was a huge fan of Dev Anand, so she grew up hearing his name and watching his films. Her career’s second film Johnny Mera Naam was with Dev Anand. Hema was so young, and Dev was a huge star. But he never made her feel like a newcomer. They shot the film’s cable-car sequence for the song ‘Ohh mere raja’ at Rajgir in Bihar. The crowds got unwieldy. Dev Anand looked after her. Dev Anand was always on the move. He was genetically restless, and he didn’t appreciate people around him who couldn’t keep pace with him. Watching him at work was like taking a vitamin tablet. Asha Parekh compares working with Dev Anand to being on an express train. The journey was relentless and stimulating. Dev Anand oozed charisma because he was superbly talented and knew how to play this game called Life.

I remember one of my school days classmates whom I remember as a charismatic person. She was not a pretty girl; she spoke slowly and calmly. She wasn’t the smartest person in the room but once she spoke no matter how short, the students would turn their heads at her and listen with intent. She once explained to me that speaking fast does not help her navigate her thoughts clearly. She would not use pauses or hesitate when she spoke because she would let her mind process her words before she delivered them. I found her mysterious. She never spoke about her life unless it was required. She never told anyone in the class about her home, about her family life, she never tried hard to explain herself, she let people judge her however they perceive her life to be.

Being self-aware enables people to play to their strengths and disguise their shortcomings. Self-awareness results in being aware of your inner experiences, such as thoughts and emotions, and how your presence and behavior affect other people. Self-awareness is required to be fully present and at ease in your skin. You can acquire self-awareness through practicing mindfulness.  Our Minister for External Affairs Dr S. Jaishankar is an amazing diplomat. Perhaps the best External affairs minister India has ever seen. His colleagues and mentors vouch for his “realistic view of foreign policy” among other skills. Jaishankar is a politically savvy diplomat. He has proved his style and knowledge in bridging the gap between his ministry and the PMO while making ambitious foreign policy moves. He looks striking while speaking on any platform. His diction is good, and his intellect is visible. 

Warmth is a critical charismatic personality trait. Warm people are usually approachable, understanding, and caring. Optimism and enthusiasm also convey warmth. Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty is an Indian cardiac surgeon who is the chairman and founder of Narayana Health, a chain of 24 medical centers all over India. He has performed more than 100,000 heart operations. Devi Shetty’s soft skills are very powerful and extremely effective. An image of absolute poise and grace, Dr. Shetty carries a light smile that instantaneously comforts and reassures his patients. He is soft spoken, and a very good listener. He exudes warmth.

A charismatic personality can also convey competence, a combination of power, capability, and intelligence. Competence is leadership ability. Think of the authoritative aura of Elon Musk, who conveys an air of no-nonsense competence. He’s a man that gets things done.

When others assess you in a job interview, they evaluate your ability to do what you say you’re going to do. Conveying competence with less warmth can establish authority. Still, the right balance of warmth and competence is the foundation of charismatic personality.

The way you carry yourself, the confidence you show, fuels your presence. This includes the way you dress, what you look like, how handle situations, your confidence, you walk, the way you talk, the way you stand, and how the people around you perceive you as a person. Charismatic people stand out anywhere they go.  

Another reason for acquiring an MBA degree is – many companies look for executives and managers with an MBA degree because MBA degrees teach leadership and analytical skills. The MBA students work with groups for doing projects, assignments, and presentations. For completing challenging assignments they need to collect lot of primary and secondary data and research methodology. They learn presentation skills, managing abilities and learn to handle almost any business problems through case studies analysis.

An MBA degree also teaches extremely important management skills such as finance skill, collaboration skill, people management etc. Not only will you learn how to manage your own time effectively, but you will also learn how to handle projects in time and how to effectively use money and group of employees in project management. Another management skill that is extremely important in today’s business world is risk management and an MBA degree will teach you how to analyze risks and make skilled and cost-effective decisions.

MBA degree will teach you to effectively negotiate with anyone.  An executive or manger will be expected to communicate well with clients, investors, colleagues, employees, general public and government agencies. As a student of MBA you will attend many seminars, workshops which will teach you to collaborate effectively with your employees, co-workers, customers and clients; it will also teach you how to delegate work responsibilities and how to lead your workforce with confidence. You will also learn the art of public speaking and therefore will be more comfortable in the board room or speaking at a seminar. It will teach you the art of speaking crisply and relevantly.

While choosing a University program look out for subjects like project management, negotiation skills, strategic leadership, managing innovations, design thinking workshops, researching skills, behavioral finance, decision science and business ethics. See if these subjects are included. Also, see if subjects like real financial models and business history are included in the curriculum. These subjects sharpen your analytical skills.

Look for MBA programs where the faculty has hands-on experience in the real tough world. Avoid faculty that overly rely on Xerox-based case teaching and power point presentations. Looking at 50-75 slides in a 3 hour lecture without any sensitization to real time issues and relevance will thoroughly bore you. Instead, look for faculty that knows about Maria Montessori (she was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education, and her writing on scientific pedagogy). Go for the course which will prepare you for rough and tough business world. Embrace seriousness for some time; after all, it is the power of ideas, not a spreadsheet with statistical analysis which can improve business. And finally, listen to your intuition, your inner voice. Some good B Schools these days have started design thinking workshops. Opt for such schools. It will change your life forever.

Back in 1999, it was already essential to work in groups. This was arguably a crucial skill that Columbia business school taught, particularly compared with those schools that encourage students to compete against each other by allocating much of their grade to their participation in class. All case study analysis would be done in groups of five, who would sit huddled around laptops at the big tables in the library. The students in the group would actually find solutions to the real time issues in the cases. Yes, working in groups teaches you to respect other’s view points and team spirit.

Go for challenges, go for intensified studies. Work with intelligent crowd which will help you in self-awareness exercise. Work with groups which will evaluate you and you will evaluate others in terms of the personal skills needed to find and keep a job, this is probably more useful than many other over fashioned curriculum. Go for internship in your chosen areas.  For example, if you want an internship in real estate, take a couple of classes on the subject in your first year and demonstrate your commitment to recruiters. In short, choose a school which stimulates your thinking, which helps you to realize your dreams and helps you to augment your credentials. And, let me tell you, it’s not so simple to find such a school.

Operations Management is one of the most important subjects. A full-term class on the subject prepares you to run companies and making factories or supply chains work more efficiently. Don’t underestimate Micro and Macroeconomics. Nowadays, macro factors, and central bank policy, drive markets. Everyone in the world of finance needs an opinion on the Federal Reserve. Though you might find those subjects high and dry they are the most applicable and useful subjects. I feel, eventually, education cannot be treated democratically. Students must be told by their teachers what they need to know. That is part of the value of an MBA, or any other worthwhile qualification. The requirements are set by someone specialists who have researched and designed the syllabus.

But such ideas are increasingly mismatched with the changing nature of business education. The job of setting a curriculum is becoming difficult than ever before. The business environment is changing at a faster pace, it requires new skill sets. The competitive landscape for business education is changing; therefore friends give yourself time to choose the right business school and the right program. MBA is still one of the most exciting programs.