How to Build Gravitas

Gravitas is that extra something some people have. They seem to convey their influence, confidence and authority as they walk into the room. You can learn to do it too.

Gravitas and Executive Presence

Gravitas was one of the virtues that "Romans of good character were expected to exemplify and pass on through the generations." Gravitas came from the word gravity and was used to mean a sense of the importance of the matter at hand; responsibility, and being earnest. Firms coach senior leaders in building their executive presence.It is interesting to note that there are several other virtues like perseverance, dignity, hard work, prudence etc that were among the virtues that Romans aspired to build. Executive Presence is described by as the "missing link between merit and success".Sylvia Ann Hewlett describes gravitas as one of the three components of executive presence. How you ACT (Gravitas), how you SPEAK (Communication), how you LOOK (Appearance). 

Gravitas is a balancing act

Many leaders have the position, but do not possess the gravitas that goes with it. Gravitas has the element of being sure of himself or herself. It reflects in being able to exude that delicate balance between being confident and being arrogant. Being able to be an expert but still having the humility to learn. It is the balance between being open to ideas and humane, but still being comfortable taking tough calls when needed.Most of all gravitas is tested when the leaders are under pressure from an unplanned event. Gravitas is tested not only in how the leader behaves under stress but also how he or she handles success. I believe that success is far more difficult to handle than failure. It is said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Power only amplifies what the person's inner core. Watch the videos of world leaders and you can draw your own conclusions.

Expertise is a pre-requisite of Gravitas

Signalling that you know your subject "six questions deep" is where it all begins. That gives someone the confidence to be authentic and empathetic. The expert does not get thrown off when someone challenges their position. They simply make the evidence available, calmly. Expertise enables leaders to simplify a complex issue and help others make sense of it. Communicating that expertise without rubbing it in the face conveys gravitas. It is that self-belief that comes from having done your homework many times over.Experts project a clam confidence as they look you straight in the eye and let you know that things are under control. Having a reputation of integrity makes a leader come across as having the moral authority to lead especially during a crisis because people trust the leader to work in THEIR best interests.When you look at world leaders, who in your view exudes Gravitas? I liked the impact Richard Branson has. I felt that when I heard him live at the Adobe Summit.

<read why Branson's charisma works>===

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Here is a talk about how to speak with Gravitas https://youtu.be/a2MR5XbJtXU

Read some more:Interview with Carolyn GoyderAchieving executive presence