Art and Science of Consulting - #2

Let’s continue by talking about the second attribute as part of our series - Art and Science of Consulting.

Gravitas - Are you BOSS material?

Gravitas means having an executive presence and being taken seriously. In ancient Rome, gravitas denoted a person’s metaphorical “heaviness” - a strength of purpose, sense of authority, depth of character and commitment to the task at hand. Gravitas is like clarity in a diamond. To develop one’s executive presence, one needs to be viewed as influential both by clients and colleagues. In order to do that, it is critical to be mindful of what one says, and how and when one says it.

Science of Getting your Gravitas On

To be recognised as someone with an executive presence, one has to act and behave like one. This counts, the way one talks, walks and thinks. Minimise verbal mannerisms such as “um” and “you know?” and “you know what I mean?” and “like,” and any other filler words or phrases (e.g., “...at the end of the day,” and “to be honest,” and “In my opinion,” etc.) that may sound like nervous habits or ticks. How one shows up physically — arms crossed or not, sitting back or forward, how stressed one seems, how fast one walks in and out of the room. All these shape or limit one’s impact among colleagues. Noticing one’s own body language is critical to establishing a strong executive presence.

Being judicious about what and when to assert, when to inquire, and when to use attentive silence is key to gravitas. When asserting ideas keep it short, simple, clear, and contextualised by the current discussion. Don’t restate other’s ideas. When in doubt, less is more.

Art of Getting your Gravitas On

The aptitude to develop Gravitas is to hone the ability to keep cool and stay composed under extreme pressure or even doubt. It’s natural to devalue yourself when intimidated by the intellects or accomplishments of others around. Don’t give in to such fear, but simply notice it in the moment, and dismiss it without reacting to it. Here are ways to make your speech seem more like that of a leader -

a. Use words and phrases in threes to present more impact.

b. If the tone of the sentence is balanced, it is believed that the underlying thought is balanced.

c. Use metaphors to emphasise & create the right images in client’s mind.

d. Research proves that people are more likely to believe something that rhymes than something that doesn’t. It doesn’t mean you break into song, but only that your thought process has to be collected to that extent.

Often a person is strong in voice but weak in incorporating other’s viewpoints. It may reflect as insecurity. Above is a 2 by 2 grid, with ‘Voice of Self’ on one axis and ‘Voice of Others’ on the other axis. Try to locate your current voice position and thereafter identify the area in which you need to focus. The key is to explore your personal trigger points where you feel stressed, what shows up in your physical response and remain graceful under fire.

Do share your comments!

Randeep Jaidka has spent 2 decades working as a consultant across multiple domains and industries and is passionate about SaaS, Customer Engagement and People