Most people will not admit this but when you look at most politicians, we see similar traits that automatically stand out. Most politicians are people that are self-confident and highly personable. The simple fact that we make generalizations shows us that common attributes do exist among the politicians that are highly successful.
Do we have some psychological traits that come up more often than usual? The answer is affirmative and according to Crystal Clanton, those that absolutely need to be highlighted are the following.
Confidence
Confidence always garners confidence. In order to influence the opinions of someone else, you need to be confident. This can actually overshadow statement validity, which was proven through different studies that were done on courtroom credibility and persuasion tactics. We can easily say that it is not important what the politician says as long as confidence is visible.
Charm
Politicians need charm in order to be successful. This is something that is obvious for most people since humans are much more likely to end up voting for a charming person than for someone else. Candidates that are preferred normally need to be smiling and attractive. People want to see those that are story-tellers and funny.
A huge part of the politician’s charm is the way in which he/she mirrors people. The really charming individual will pull people in and will make others forget about potential disagreements. Similarity always creates liking so when a candidate is found charming, we relate.
Relatability
Speaking about relations, relatability stands out as another really important factor that is determining if someone is a politician that is good or not. Social status awareness is a huge part of our psych. We naturally do not want to appreciate someone that is above our social standing. Because of this, a successful politician will try to be as average as possible in appearance. When a voter feels that he/she would love having a coffee with the candidate, there is a good possibility that the vote will actually be cast.
Goal-Oriented
All people want to feel that they accomplish something. Politicians understand this so they tend to present very straightforward, simple plans. They include voters in the decisions and plans. When voting for candidates that have big plans, setting yourself up for disappointment is possible.
People rarely care about whether or not the proposed plan turns out to be successful. The idea is to keep thinking that the vote accomplishes something. This is done through goals and showcasing them.
Uncomplicated
Last but not least, we have to realize the fact that people are much more willing to spend effort and time on a task that is trivial that is completely understood as opposed to something that is not understood because of how complicated it is. Understanding politicians is something that is tough to do in many cases. This is why the best politicians uncomplicate really big issues, even if this has no real merit in reality. People end up believing that really simple solutions and answers are the best choices.
