Gravitas  (Substance with a strong sense of self belief)  

Do we need it?  Yes, we do.

We trust people with gravitas. They have self conviction minus the arrogance and a strength of character that’s infectious.   They make us listen with messages that carry weight and influence.

When do we need it?

In the corporate world, we are more likely to engage with individuals who present with confidence, spark effective relationships and do what they say they are going to do because they have depth.   They represent trust.  They will commit to meeting actions, readily tap into their knowledge bank to share with others and make people feel special.  Their personal brand is embued like a stick of rock.

In the sporting world, we see it.   I recently watched my eighteen year old cousin captain Millfield’s first rugby team and saw gravitas on and off the turf.    A voice of distinction encouraged his players as they went in to ‘touch, pause, engage’.   He  was equally engaging as he brought the de-brief game to life and recalled a recent school trip to Soweto where his townships’ coaching experience came to the fore – clearly enhancing his early gravitas.

He surely takes the Millfield motto ‘Molire Molendo’ to heart.

How Do We Get It?

So, how do we develop gravitas?    We need focus, disicipline, and the resilience to stay true to ourselves.   As we build our own identity based on our values, achievements, perception, we set out the foundation stones to become ‘layered’ through our people exposure, events and experiences.

Yes, we need gravitas.