Everybody loves charisma. We are naturally drawn to those people who light up a room and make everyone around them feel at ease.

It is easy to assume that you either have charisma or you do not. But we are not fixed at a particular level. It turns out that this much-admired quality has a simple formula: warmth plus competence.

Warmth tells people that you care about them and can be trusted. Competence shows that you are capable and dependable. When the two come together, people feel both comfortable with you and confident in you. Best of all, both can be practised at any age.

In Cues, Vanessa Van Edwards explores the small signals we send through our posture, expressions, voice and choice of words.

The book can help you recognise your own cues and use them more intentionally, bringing warmth to an interaction while still communicating confidence and capability.

Vanessa Van Edwards explains why the first two seconds of an interaction matter—and reveals the small social signal that can undermine your warmth and charisma in an instant.

In your next conversation, focus only on warmth. Give the other person your full attention, smile genuinely and listen without rushing to respond.

Notice how they react. Do they relax, open up or become more engaged? A little more warmth may change the whole conversation.

In later life, it is easy to believe our personality and social habits are set in stone. They are not.

With a little awareness and the simple formula of warmth plus competence, we can keep improving how we connect with others at any age.

Have a greet weekend.