幽默和魅力组合将使你成功

Someone once said: “Brains, integrity and force may be all very well, but what you need today is charm.” This is the age of celebrity, even in the boardroom, and none of us is impervious to the presence of those legendary characters when they switch on the full blast of their glittering personality. Perhaps it is their reputation, perhaps their smile, perhaps their brilliance with words – or possibly their rapt attention.
曾有人说：“拥有才智、诚实和力量固然不错，但当今你需要的是魅力。”这是一个名人的时代，即使在董事会也是如此。那些鼎鼎大名的人物一旦全力展现他们迷人的个性——或者是名声、或者是微笑、或者是口才，又或者是专注的神情——没人能够抵御。

I am often struck how often young children utter the phrase “Look at me!” They want appreciation, and fundamentally not much changes, even when we are 50. Genuine approval from the boss can taste better than anything – even a pay rise.
小孩子常常会说“看我的！”，对此我常常感到惊讶。他们想要得到赞赏。这一点在长大后基本上也不会改变，即使到了50岁。老板真心的称赞比什么——甚至加薪——都更让人觉得受用。

Are charm and a sense of humour acquired traits? They certainly improve with effort and practice. Ronald Reagan used his years in showbiz to hone his performance skills before succeeding in politics.
魅力和幽默感能够后天培养吗？努力练习肯定会有作用。罗纳德．里根(Ronald Reagan)早年在演艺界干过，练得一身表演才能，后来才进入政界，成就了一番事业。

I have sat with stand-up comics before they go on stage. The most brilliant appear almost nonchalant, rather than rehearsed or anxious, and their acts are mostly learnt word-perfect yet appear spontaneous.
我曾经在一些笑星登台前与他们坐在一起。最出色的笑星出场前几乎都显得若无其事，既没有背台词，也没有焦虑不安。他们表演的内容基本上都是事先背下来的，但却显得像是即兴发挥。

So it is with outstanding business leaders who persuade their teams to laugh and try harder: they apply themselves assiduously to the task. Most world-class chief executives possess charisma – really a captivating blend of charm and wit. And, believe me, they graft at it far more than they admit.
杰出的企业领导能够让他的团队既开心又卖力工作：他们自己会勤于工作。世界级的首席执行官大多魅力非凡——这实际上是吸引力和风趣机智的迷人组合。另外，请相信我，他们花费在这上面的心力，远远超过他们所承认的。