Charisma, manipulation, and ethics

Charisma is not just something you either have or do not have. It is a skill buyers can feel before the pitch even starts.

In this episode, John sits down with Olivia Fox Cabane, bestselling author of The Charisma Myth, to talk about the science of charisma, presence, body language, curiosity, manipulation, and why real connection still matters in sales.

If you are in sales, leadership, or any role where trust matters, this conversation gives you a practical way to think about how you show up in front of buyers. You will learn why preparation makes curiosity stronger, why presence can change the quality of a conversation, and why trying to impress people often gets in the way of real connection.

Want to build stronger sales conversations before the market gets even more transactional? Visit www.jbarrows.com and learn how you can Make It Happen.

What You’ll Learn

• Why charisma is a behavior that can be learned
• How presence, power, and warmth shape trust
• Why preparation can make salespeople more curious
• Why trying to impress people often backfires
• How body language starts with mindset
• Why sales should help people solve problems, not convince them into decisions

Olivia Fox Cabane is a leading authority on the science of charisma and the bestselling author of The Charisma Myth and The Net and the Butterfly, which have been translated into more than thirty languages. She previously served as Director of Innovative Leadership for Stanford's StartX accelerator and has taught on charisma, leadership, and innovation at Harvard and MIT. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, and The Wall Street Journal, and she is a cofounder of the KindEarth.Tech Foundation.

Visit charismamyth.com for free sample chapters, videos, and downloadable exercises.

Connect with Olivia Fox Cabane:

Website: https://charismamyth.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oliviafoxcabane/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ofc/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oliviafoxcabaneofficial

John Barrows is a sales trainer, speaker, and founder of JB Sales with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He has made hundreds of cold calls a week, led startups to acquisition, and trained high-performing teams at companies like Salesforce, LinkedIn, Amazon, and Okta. Through JB Sales, John focuses on practical sales execution—helping reps fill pipeline, close deals, and build trust with buyers in today’s AI-driven sales environment.

Connect with John Barrows:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbarrows/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnmbarrows/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnmbarrows

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