Merriam-Webster defines charisma as a “a special magnetic charm or appeal.” This definition is perfectly vague, as it leaves a lot of room for creative freedom. This is an important point. Most people have a limited view of charisma: the charming, eloquent, good-looking person who walks into a room and immediately entrances everyone with their wit and intellect. And while these people certainly do exist, they are far from the only charismatic ones out there.

Different situations often require subtly different forms of charisma. To hold attention in a courtroom, attorneys must develop a certain level of power and command in their voices. When addressing supporters at a political rally, a candidate should radiate enthusiasm and energy. To please guests at a dinner party, a host might speak gently, with tones of humor and lightheartedness.

However, when you are teaching, there is no one form of charisma that is ideal. While there might be a certain “style” of speech ideal for other professions, no such thing exists in the context of teaching. In fact, trying to force a particular style upon yourself or others will often end poorly.

Let me illustrate with a personal anecdote. In Summer 2018, I was in charge of training the academic interns for an introductory CS course at my university, the same class I went on to TA and eventually lecture for. My primary public speaking experience prior to this had been in high school Mock Trial, where I often relied on dramatic pauses and sudden volume changes to maintain my audience’s attention. This technique worked perfectly in a courtroom; however, it would do no good in the classroom.

In trying to display a certain “charisma,” I only made it worse for myself. I tried to walk and talk in a deliberate way — the way I thought teachers should be — and I ended up just coming off as awkward. The feedback I received was fairly straightforward:

“Murtaza is clear, but he can be pretty monotone when he teaches.”

As the summer ended and I entered fall, I was determined to fix this, but I didn’t know how. I turned to my Head TA for advice, and she passed on what is perhaps the best teaching advice I have received to date.

“You’re trying too hard. Just be yourself.”

Cliché, I know — but hear me out. It took me a while to figure out exactly what she meant by this, but once I did, my teaching improved drastically. Being yourself has two components:

Talking to your class as if you’re having a conversation with your friends. There is no need to act a certain way or to try and emulate someone else’s teaching style.

Eliminating any sense of embarrassment. Once you are no longer afraid to look stupid, dumb, or foolish, the students will start to view you as one of their own, rather than as a judgmental teacher. Once you’ve reached this level of trust, you’ve permanently attained their attention.

This is the advice I now give to any and all TAs I train, and the results are always wonderful.

I saw the above in action for myself this past summer, as co-lecturer for an introductory computer science course at UC Berkeley. I had 4 Teaching Assistants — Maddie, Ze-Ning, Jake, and Nick — all of whom taught their own sections.

Maddie naturally exudes infectious enthusiasm, always displaying a bright smile and positive attitude. She’ll work for hours on end to get the job done and always show up full of energy for students, no matter what might be going on in her own life.

Ze is extremely personable and funny. She’s always making you laugh, and students look forward to speaking with her because they know she will diligently address all their concerns while ensuring they don’t stress themselves out.

Jake is charmingly calm and zen. It is impossible not to be comfortable in his presence, and his students know that better than anyone. He takes pleasure in delivering the material and cares deeply about his students’ learning. If you’re lucky, you may even get a guitar solo out of him.

Nick is confident, engaging, and witty. He allures crowds of students with his New Zealand accent and lively personality. He’s especially talented at lecturing, and excels at explaining concepts in a way that simplifies them effectively for large audiences.

Each TA is completely unique, and yet all of them were equally loved by all the students this summer. And more than that, all of them are equally skilled teachers, and I count myself lucky for having had the opportunity to work with them.

The Crux of the Matter

There are a plethora of hard and soft skills that teachers can cultivate, but the primary foundation for attaining charisma is straightforward: just be yourself. Your passion and love for the subject you are teaching will shine through. There is no need to act a certain way, use a certain voice, or project a certain style. As long as you love what you’re talking about, that same enthusiasm will automatically translate to your audience.

At the end of the day, no one will appreciate your honesty and candor more than your students — and that’s all a teacher can really ask for.