Gavin de Becker > Quotes > Quote > Laurie Carpenter liked it

“Charm is another overrated ability. Note that I called it an ability, not an inherent feature of one’s personality. Charm is almost always a directed instrument, which, like rapport-building, has motive. To charm is to compel, to control by allure or attraction. Think of charm as a verb, not a trait. If you consciously tell yourself, “This person is trying to charm me” as opposed to, “This person is charming,” you’ll be able to see around it.”
― Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence