Editor’s note

One of the perks of working at The Peak is the chance to see a gamut of people talk on stage. So far, two stand out for their sheer virtuosity.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
My Reading Room
THE PRACTICE OF CHARISMA

One of the perks of working at The Peak is the chance to see a gamut of people talk on stage. So far, two stand out for their sheer virtuosity. One is Jordan Belfort, the disgraced trader who turned his downfall into the bestseller The Wolf of Wall Street. Watching him sway an audience of thousands when he was last in town, I was convinced that if anyone could sell ice to Eskimos, Belfort could.

That fistthumping first impression, that intuitive rapport with the audience, that skilful reeling in of customers – take his salesmanship course and you, too, can roll in dough – all made for a mesmerising package. The other speaker is Dr Hans Rosling, in town a few months back to speak about population trends at a Julius Baer first-mover conference and TEDxSingapore.

The topic sounds dry on paper – the impact of birth rates on economies – but with the help of nifty graphics, self-deprecating humour and a javelin-length pointer, he breathed thrilling life into statistics. At both events, each with different audience profiles, his was easily the best presentation. I still remember the points he made, even now, months later.

What differentiates Rosling from his fellow presenters, most of whom are seasoned public speakers? After mulling over what he and Belfort have in common, I’ve narrowed it down to their empathy with the audience. Both are practised to be sure but, above that, they understand the psyche of their listeners – their motivations, challenges, desires – and shaped the delivery of their information accordingly.

This is the key to charisma, according to experts. Bridging audiences, connecting to unlikeminded individuals – this brings me to the talking points of this month’s issue. The workplace is constantly evolving. How do we navigate the new world order of millennials, start-ups and co-working spaces? Find out in our Smart Boss package starting on p.56. As to the magic of the two speakers I mentioned above, turn to p.62 for our TED Talk guide to a killer presentation.

JENNIFER CHEN

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