Warmth-Competence Thermostat
Balance trust and capability cues for the impression the moment needs
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 99%
Van Edwards presents charisma as a balance of perceived warmth—trust, friendliness, and likability—and perceived competence—power, reliability, and capability. The thermostat metaphor makes the model situational. Someone seen as intimidating can add a slow triple nod, a slight head tilt, an authentic smile, a brief lean, or another nonverbal bridge. Someone overlooked or interrupted can try a relaxed hand steeple, shoulders down with a level chin, eye contact at the end of key sentences, a focused lower-lid expression, or a downward vocal inflection on statements. The goal is not maximum cue volume. Too much nodding, leaning, eye contact, or smiling can backfire. Choose a small, natural adjustment, observe the response, and recalibrate.
Origin
Van Edwards connects her cue system to Susan Fiske's warmth-and-competence research while discussing it on The Diary of a CEO.
Core principles
- 01Charisma combines perceived warmth and perceived competence
- 02Competence without warmth can create suspicion
- 03Warmth without competence can reduce credibility
- 04Cues should be adjusted rather than performed at maximum intensity
- 05Authenticity matters more than using every available cue
How to run it
- 1
Find your default
Assess whether people are more likely to experience you as warm, competent, balanced, or difficult to read.
Pro tip Compare your own rating with one from a trusted colleague or partner.
Watch out Self-perception and other people's perception may differ.
- 2
Define the needed impression
Choose whether the next interaction needs more trust and openness or more conviction and authority.
Pro tip Use the specific outcome—such as encouraging disclosure or stating a price—to choose the dimension.
- 3
Dial competence
Where needed, select one or two competence cues: relaxed steeple, open neck space, sentence-ending eye contact, focused lower lids, or downward statement inflection.
Pro tip Practice your name, boundary, price, or key point with a settled downward ending.
Watch out Do not turn eye contact into an uninterrupted stare or lift your chin to look down on someone.
- 4
Dial warmth
Where needed, select one or two warmth cues: slow triple nod, slight head tilt, authentic smile, brief lean, or a respectful bridge across distance.
Pro tip Use a lean like a highlighter, then return to neutral.
Watch out Fast nodding can signal impatience, and excessive leaning can look submissive.
- 5
Keep it congruent
Use only cues that fit what you genuinely feel and the relationship permits.
Pro tip A neutral face is preferable to a smile you know is false.
Watch out Do not use warmth cues to override another person's boundaries.
- 6
Read and recalibrate
Observe whether the other person opens up, relaxes, understands, or pushes back, then reduce or change the cue accordingly.
Watch out The episode reports research claims about cue effects, but no cue guarantees a particular response.
In the wild
Van Edwards tells Steven Bartlett that he already signals strong competence but may be experienced as intimidating. For nervous guests, she recommends warmth cues that fit his existing style rather than an exaggerated bubbly welcome, such as a slow triple nod or brief lean while listening.
→ The host can encourage longer, more comfortable answers without adopting an inauthentic persona.
Common mistakes
Maxing out every cue
Van Edwards repeatedly warns that too much of a useful cue can become distracting, invasive, or unbelievable.
Copying a foreign persona
The framework is a recipe of selected cues, not an instruction to imitate an extrovert.
Forgetting the other dimension
Strong competence without warmth can invite suspicion, while warmth without competence can reduce authority.
Is it for you?
Best for
Leaders, interviewers, salespeople, and socially anxious professionals who need a deliberate first-impression adjustment.
Not ideal for
Manipulating someone, masking misconduct, or assuming one body-language recipe fits every culture and context.
From the transcript
“To be charismatic, you have to be both highly warm and highly competent.”
“This is like a thermostat.”
“Every single one of these cues we are using as a bold or an emphasis.”
From the episode
The Body Language Expert: Stop Using This, It’s Making People Dislike You, So Are These Subtle Mistakes! Your Resting Face Matters & How To Fix It!