What is Gravitas? 🤩
“We don’t know how strong we are until we are in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt
This week on Learning to Lead Live we continued our exploration of executive presence focusing on gravitas.
Gravitas is the essence of Executive Presence. Without it, you simply won’t be perceived as a leader, no matter what your title or level of authority or how well you dress or speak.
Senior leaders surveyed felt gravitas represented 62% of executive presence signaling a leader is made of the right stuff and can be entrusted with serious responsibility.
So what is gravitas? According to a CTI survey, Senior Executives said it can be defined as:
Confidence & “Grace under Fire”
Decisiveness & “Showing Teeth”
Integrity & “Speaking the Truth”
Emotional Intelligence
Reputation & Standing “Pedigree”
Vision & Charisma
CONIFIDENCE & GRACE UNDER FIRE: How do you come by composure in a crisis?
“We don’t know how strong we are until we are in hot water.” Eleanor Roosevelt
Demonstrate calm in the eye of the storm
Speak and act from place of clarity
Confidence that cannot be shaken inspires confidence in you by others leading to trust and loyalty
You have a choice in crisis, you can lean into the wind, acknowledge your shortcomings and rise above them. Or you can take cover, or demonstrate that no matter what your title, you really don’t deserve to be in charge.
DECISIVENESS & SHOWING TEETH: CTI research finds that 70% of leaders consider decisiveness to be a component of executive presence, second only to confidence in crisis making it a core aspect of gravitas.
Making difficult decisions is what is expected of leaders. It’s not so much about rendering the right decision, but about rendering a decision at the time when no one else has the confidence all while imposing direction and taking responsibility for it.
Listen, gather critical information, weight the options carefully, look for at timely opening (when others are struggling with decisions) and then demand action.
Bring others along on the journey to understand your decision
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER: More than 60% of respondents affirm that speaking truth with power is a potent affirmation of leader like courage.
The higher you go in an organization the more impressive you are when you demonstrate you have courage to share your convictions.
Make sure that when you challenge authority, you’re coming from core of unshakeable values; anything less and your actions will be perceived as insubordination or arrogance.
Encourage people to see your office as the place where they can have a differing opinion and talk to you about it.
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: 61% of respondence note EQ is important for executive presence. While decisiveness signals conviction, courage and resolve, when untempered by empathy or compassion, these same characteristics are perceived as egotism, arrogance and insensitivity.
EQ is important in building trust and demonstrates you have both self and situational awareness
Learn to “read the room,” the room being a metaphor for your immediate audience, in person or virtual. What is the vibe, or unarticulated emotion you need to address or temper? What do people need from you in order to move forward?
EQ is not implying managing your own feelings, but rather recognizing and acting in accord with the feelings of others.
RIGHT-SIZING YOUR REPUTATION: Managing your personal brand is almost a job unto itself, lest it be managed for you by people who do not hold your best interests at heart.
“Many a sterling reputation is forged in the crucible of scandal.” - Sylvia Hewett
Before you enter a room your reputation speaks for you
We are always being watched by others, especially our teams. This visibility makes it imperative to style your environment as carefully as you style yourself. Consider what it says about you, even desk photos communicate a message about you.
Proactively assert who you are, what you stand for and how you’d like to be perceived. If you don’t know, ask others how they perceive you
VISION & CHARISMA: Great leaders are brutally optimistic, risk takers, unwavering
People feel the weight of a leader of substance when in their presence
You have to be able to telegraph vision and confidence
Well informed and reasoned having done the hard work of research, study and contemplation to reach the opinions they hold
Act and communicate in a way that benefits the greater good of the organization, team, or community
CLOSING:
Not all leaders have gravitas, but all should aspire to build it. Those with gravitas help us see and seize opportunity, encourage us, and lead us out of difficulty and crisis. We seek them out for guidance, not because they appear to be smarter and more skilled, but because they have humbly proven that they have become such through commitment and hard work.
TIPS TO DEEPEN GRAVITAS
Surround yourself with people who are better than you
Be generous with credit
Stick to what you know
Show humility
Empower others’ presence to build your own
Snatch victory from the jaws of defeat
Drive change rather than be changed
“Wherever you are, be all there” - Jim Elliott
Listen to the Full Replay
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Resources
Tech Up For Women Conference San Diego - October 6, 2022:
Tech Up for Women believes tech knowledge is critical for every career journey. Join them for a one-day event to advance yourself through fast-moving topics to embrace new ideas and innovation.
Ted Women Online Event - October 24-28, 2022: An online festival offering interviews with leading women on change, on work, on rights, on joy and on the future.
Newsletters I read daily to stay informed and get inspired: The Hustle, Morning Brew, Seth Godin’s Blog, Atlas Obscura, Oprah Daily, Newsette
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