Self-help books, coaching books, management books… They promise all sorts of things, but does anything really change after reading them? I wondered about this and looked back at which books have truly shaped me. This is the twelfth book that gave me direction – not by reading it, but by writing it together with Petra Stienen. We both hope that reading it will inspire you immensely.

INCREASE YOUR CHARISMA & GET ATTENTION FOR YOUR STORY

You might not be allowed to say this about your own book, but this feels like my magnum opus – my life’s work. It is the result of twenty-five years of study and coaching experience in strengthening leadership.
The book would never have come into existence without Petra Stienen, who once walked up my garden path in Broek for coaching. That meeting led to a years-long collaboration. Petra subsequently developed herself as a coach as well, and soon we were asked together to give workshops on communication power and charisma. We saw how participants blossomed with our approach. They received attention for their story in a new way – whether it concerned a new product, a fresh vision, or important research. That left us wanting more. We decided to put our method on paper.
That writing turned out to be a longer process than expected. We started with a writing retreat in Barcelona, ​​and a year later, a first draft was ready. Publisher Janneke Louman of Nieuw Amsterdam wanted to publish it if we rewrote the manuscript. And so a second draft followed. And another one. Next, Ton van Luin helped with editing. Sometimes he gave thirty suggestions per page. His regular question, “What exactly do you mean?” forced us to become sharper and sharper – and as a result, we understood our own subject matter better and better. That was perhaps the greatest gift.
In the book, as a reader, you are introduced to the ingredients of charisma: authenticity, mission & vision, creating a sense of togetherness, and the power of language, your voice, and body language. After that, you will discover techniques to make yourself a more skilled speaker, such as using ‘charismatic voices’ like the playful child, the cheerful rebel, the sensual, and the empathetic voice.

Our practical approach is now being used by people in the business world, government, politics, and the creative sector – even by professional dancers. The reprint of the book came out after just six weeks. Perhaps it is something for you too?