Detroit - Yeah, we know, the whole "Survivor" deal is getting old. But before we let it go, let's talk about Gervase. You know, the lanky youth basket ball coach from New Jersey who manages to survive on CBS's million-dollar island without doing, well, much of anything.

Thirty-year-old Gervase Peterson can't swim. He gets grossed out by the thought of eating live beetle larvae. He plays cards and chitchats while other castaways cook rice, build fires, patch roofs, pluck chickens, skin rats and so on.

What kept Gervase afloat while others sank weekly was his charm fellow contestants have said.

Charm, this intangible quality, is a seemingly dull tool with high-powered pull. The proper dose of charm can keep a nonsurvivor like Gervase from being voted off of a game show island.

When it comes to charm, experts say, some folks have it and others could benefit from a hearty helping.

"This is serious; if you don't have charm, you're at a loss. Charm will smooth over all kinds of things," says Rita Coronel a California-based image consultant who hosts corporate training seminars nationwide. Coronel, a "Survivor" fan, recognizes the charm dynamic playing out on the hottest TV show of the season.

"Gervase brings a calming, almost settling influence to the group. What charming people bring to the table is that sense of not taking themselves too seriously. They make people feel like they can just be human. The charming person is empowering the best part of other people.

"People who don't have charm may feel threatened, which is why they come out fighting," Coronel says. "They have to bully their way through."

Although Gervase didn't win "Survivor," people say that in the real world, charming folks almost always land on top.

Wayne Pittman is smooth. As general manager of City Slicker shoes in Detroit, he knows how to work a sales floor. Pittman always makes eye contact. He speaks in a melodious tone. He hustles while helping customers. And he's lightning-fast with a salutation.

After 30 years in the retail biz, he has learned that a little charm covers a lot of territory.

"You have the power to take a person who is having a terrible day or is having major problems, and you can make their day go smoother," said Pittman, a father of four. "If I am having a bad day, I know it's not the customer's fault. When a customer walks through the door, they didn't come into the store to feel the brunt of my problems."

Customers quickly notice a raised charm factor, Pittman said. "Believe it or not, I probably get as many compliments from men as I do from women."

A sincere smile often reveals a charming person, said Tom Pyden, director of communications for Chevrolet. Pyden pointed to co-worker Steve Ramsey, who he said uses charm to facilitate both professional and personal relationships.

"You can't get away from Steve without feeling good about yourself," Pyden said. "He has a quick and friendly smile. When he is talking to someone, he has a laser focus on that person. He always takes the initiative to say 'Hi' first."

Ramsey, 51, said that what some call charm, he calls good manners.

"I happened to grow up in Texas, and I grew up in an era where manners were the norm rather than the exception," Ramsey said. "That early value system is what has carried me to any amount of charm that I have today. My mother taught me, don't just be nice to (people), but respect them."

While experts say charm can be learned, clinical psychologist Laurel Sills says one trait that inspires charm is innate.

"Charm has many aspects, and one obvious one is attraction. Good looks are rewarded from the beginning," said Sills, who has a private practice in West Bloomfield, Mich. "Charm starts with infancy. Babies with really round heads who smile a lot (think Gerber baby), get more attention, so they often develop more confidence."

More confidence equals a better attitude, a better attitude equals what Sills calls "a positive self-fulfilling prophecy," which could equal a million game show dollars. (Gervase does have a rather round head.) An infant showered with attention in the crib stands a good chance of growing into a well-adjusted adult.

No way, said Peggy Morad Stobbe, a finishing-modeling instructor with John Casablancas Modeling & Career Center in Canton, Mich. Charm is about more than a pretty face. "You can't base everything on looks," she said.

"A charming person is well-groomed. They know how to talk to people. And they know how to handle themselves in social situations. It's really not just about how you look; it's the full package."