Think Like a Leader
Morgan Freeman famously said that he ‘gravitates towards gravitas’. Gravitas is one of those traits that while it is hard to explain, it is often said 'you know when you see it". It is variously referred to as seriousness in bearing or manner, dignity, substance or weight. It tends to be seen in the kind of person who can walk into a situation – personal or professional – and be relaxed, comfortable and own it.
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Feel Like a Leader
Why is it that so few of us feel we actually have gravitas? How much of it is a Scottish, cultural, deficit? Or is it really a virtue that we tend to be modest in our demeanor, almost to the point of false humility? Of course, it’s complicated – and trying to pretend that we are something we are not will probably backfire. But we do want to be respected and listened to, so making a conscious effort to manage our feelings can help build gravitas.
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Act Like a Leader
Gravitas is not about your position in the organisation but rather about how you present to others. That comes from respect, trust and people knowing not only that you speak good words but also that you do what you said you would do. It’s also about your ability to influence others and be taken seriously. So make sure your words and actions are in harmony with your demeanor and behaviour.
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Tom Henschel is a former actor turned coach and communicator. He delivers his lessons in a unique and interesting manner so he is always worth listening to. In this 10 minute episode he turns his attention to gravitas.
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‘Gravitas is a quality you can develop.’ This is another HBR article – and up to the usual high standard.
Rebecca Newton, PhD, is an organisational and social psychologist and an academic who works globally.
The HBR summary says “having gravitas at work can impact how seriously you are taken and how you rise in an organisation. But it’s easy to associate gravitas with behaviours that fit a particular mould, and many people assume that if you’re not born with it, you can’t acquire it. The author argues that you can develop your gravitas while being true to yourself: the key is understanding that your real self can change as you build a deeper set of meaningful, trusted connections with other people.
She offers five tips to help:
1) Be clear about what you want
2) Be open to feedback
3) Create time for broader conversations
4) Beware the self-fulfilling prophecy of “needing more confidence"
5) Commit to integrity."
Click through to read the full article.
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This short video comes from the author of Gravitas, our featured longer read. Watch and listen as Caroline Goyder explains leadership presence, and ethos, pathos and logos.
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I caught these swans at Cardwell Bay, looking across to Battery Park in Gourock. Did you know that swans are sometimes regarded as the bird with most gravitas?
Imagine a swan gliding on the water. When you think of a swan, you think of a creature that’s elegant and composed and flowing smoothly, but under the water there are little webbed feet paddling furiously.
When you’re in charge and in control, you’re not letting anyone see those furiously paddling feet. That’s where gravitas comes in.
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Gravitas: Communicate with Confidence, Influence and Authority by Caroline Goyder was published in 2014 and remains the best go-to handbook on the subject.
It’s certainly the best and most practical book I’ve read on gravitas – which can seem an elusive principle. Goyder, voice coach and speaker, reveals how to speak so others will listen. I first listened on an audio book – and her diction is first class - but found it so good I also bought the print version to study more closely.
She provides simple techniques to build natural gravitas and aims to help you learn how to express yourself clearly, with passion and confidence, to persuade, influence and engage listeners.
By being grounded in your values and capabilities, she suggests you can gain the authority needed to make people sit up and pay attention. Goyder says gravitas is the grounding force that gives you influence and authority, the lifting force that gives you passion and wit.
A great listen or read – or both!
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Community Benefit or Community Blight?#102
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...without a little reflection, there is no Insight Added.
"There are six elements of gravitas critical to leadership: grace under fire, decisiveness, emotional intelligence and the ability to read a room, integrity and authenticity (people don't like fakes), a vision that inspires others, and a stellar reputation."
Sylvia Ann Hewlett
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Lead well
Graham and Lesley
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