Are you a teacher, trainer, public speaker, presenter, or someone who often addresses a large audience—but struggles with building instant rapport? If yes, then this concept from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) may prove to be a valuable tool for you.
Have you heard of the “Charisma Sequence” in NLP?
Any audience—whether live or virtual—typically consists of individuals who process information through one of the four primary representational systems:
- Visual
- Auditory
- Kinesthetic
- Auditory Digital
The challenge for any presenter is to engage each of these distinct communication styles within the first few minutes of a presentation. If you fail to do so, you risk losing their attention early on.
NLP offers a simple yet effective approach to overcome this challenge—the Charisma Sequence. Based on the NLP presupposition that people like people who are like themselves, this method engages all four types systematically and effectively.
Step 1: Engage the Visual Communicators
People with a primary visual representational system tend to be somewhat impatient and speak quickly. To connect with them:
- Begin your presentation at a brisk pace.
- Use visual language and cues such as “see,” “imagine,” “picture this,” or “clear vision.”
- Speak energetically and keep your body language expressive and open.
If you do not engage this segment of your audience early, they are likely to lose interest quickly.
Step 2: Engage the Auditory Communicators
After addressing the visuals, adjust to engage auditory listeners:
- Slow your pace slightly and speak in a deeper, more resonant tone.
- Use auditory cues such as “listen,” “hear,” “sound,” or “resonate.”
- Maintain clear enunciation and pay attention to vocal modulation.
Auditory communicators are more patient than visuals but still need prompt engagement.
Step 3: Engage the Kinesthetic Communicators
Next, shift your delivery to appeal to kinesthetic communicators:
- Slow down further and deepen your tone.
- Use words that refer to touch, emotions, and physical experiences, such as “feel,” “grasp,” “connect,” or “solid.”
- Allow pauses that provide room for reflection and emotional processing.
Step 4: Engage the Auditory Digital Communicators
By this point, the majority of your audience is engaged, including the auditory-digital segment, whose secondary systems have likely been addressed. However, for completeness:
- Introduce conceptual language and logical ideas.
- Focus on structure, data, reasoning, and clarity.
- Use phrases like “understand,” “process,” “analyze,” and “framework.”
Key Insight
The entire Charisma Sequence can be executed in just one to two minutes. It is not a prolonged or complicated process, but it is vital to move through it with intention and efficiency. This ensures that no part of your audience feels left out before your presentation truly begins.
