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_“I would say that as a leader, your gravitas is everything. It is assumed that you're an expert in your field. Now having gravitas is your major goal.”_ – Louise Mahler

According to _"Gravitas"_ author and voice and body language expert Dr Louise Mahler, developing a commanding presence in professional settings is essential for leaders.

“67% of CEOs surveyed in New York said, ‘Yes, gravitas is everything for a leader’,” she told this week’s Book Club participants.

They described gravitas as an “aura-like factor” that suggests you are "leadership material."

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Drawing from her unique background in economics, statistics, and opera singing, Dr Mahler offered the audience practical advice on being more confident as a public speaker, and developing "gravitas."

Here are some highlights from this week’s event.

What is Gravitas?

Dr Mahler stresses that gravitas is not just about words - it's about delivery. She references Aristotle's five canons of rhetoric\*:

1.  Invention (knowing your subject)
2.  Arrangement (structuring your message)
3.  Style (language choice)
4.  Memory
5.  Delivery (body language and voice)

"Funnily enough, we tend to think that Gravitas is about words. But the ancient Romans made it very clear – it's about delivery, delivery, delivery," Dr Mahler notes.

\*Rhetoric definitions: Speech/writing to persuade people to agree with their way or thinking. The principles of training communicators —those seeking to persuade or inform.

The Essence of Gravitas

One of the most striking aspects of watching Dr Mahler herself present is her frequent use on gestures. She argues that we've moved away from natural human communication by becoming too static in business settings.

"We have to bring back gestures. We have to bring them back because they communicate to others. They actually are a memory technique, and they free your body," she insists.

Key points on gesturing:

*   Use your hands to indicate a timeline: future on your right, past on your left.
*   Show your palms for trust
*   Hold gestures until you have another one
*   Ensure gestures are congruent with your words

The Importance of Gestures

Dr Mahler challenges common misconceptions about voice training. Instead of focusing on pitch, pace, or volume, she highlights the importance of proper air management:

*   Align your neck straight
*   Release your jaw
*   Ensure your tongue works properly
*   Focus on getting the sound out

"Voice is about actually lining up your neck so that it's straight. Releasing your jaw, having a tongue that actually works, and just getting that sound out. It's about air management," she explains.

Mastering your Voice

**Women and Gravitas**

_"Can women have gravitas? Everything in the canons of rhetoric is everything a woman can have." -_ Louise Mahler 

While past perceptions of leadership voices favoured typically male characteristics (slow speech, low voice), Dr Mahler advises against women artificially lowering their voices.

Instead, she recommends speaking in the lower part of one's natural register, focusing on authenticity.

"We very much value authenticity," she says, encouraging women to embrace their unique vocal qualities while still projecting confidence and authority. 

This allows women leaders to command respect and exhibit gravitas without compromising their authentic selves.

Women in Leadership...and Gravitas

Dr Mahler distinguishes between general anxiety and performance anxiety, offering targeted advice for the latter:

*   Move tension from the top of the body to the bottom
*   Release your diaphragm with a “huh, huh, huh” hard outward breath (or cough)
*   Focus on breathing out, not in
*   Use movement of your body to allow air to flow

"For performance anxiety we need to not get rid of the tension but _move_ the tension from the top of the body to the bottom of the body," she advises.

Overcoming Performance Anxiety

When presenting online, Dr Mahler suggests these adaptations in our communication style:

*   Keep hands visible and use them
*   Show your palms for trust
*   Ensure gestures are either fully in or out of frame
*   Centre yourself in the frame with some chest visible
*   Keep the camera at eye level
*   Position yourself one arm's distance from the screen

Tips for Virtual Communication

Dr Mahler gave the Book Club audience tips to confidently start a presentation:

*   Walk confidently with swinging elbows
*   Control your eye contact
*   Move to the power position (usually centre stage)
*   Stop (movement followed by static attracts attention)
*   Flatter your audience
*   Introduce yourself
*   Tell a story that leads to a message
*   Give the audience something to do, think, or buy

Opening a Presentation - First Steps

For salespeople, including those in online meetings, Dr Mahler offers this simple rule: "Nod, blink, smile like an idiot."

There's method to the madness. Louise says nodding shows flexibility of thinking, blinking proves you're not a psychopath (her words, not ours!), and smiling builds trust.

"Showing your teeth spells trust. Why? Because in ancient times, if you broke your teeth, you couldn't rip meat. And if you couldn't rip meat, you died," she explained.  “So showing your teeth says, I'll trust you not to break my teeth.”

So, the next time you're on a sales call and wanting others to trust you: nod, blink, and smile like an idiot.

Salespeople and Gravitas: Smile Like You Mean It

When faced with challenging or emotional questions, Dr Mahler suggests:

*   Acknowledge the question
*   Reflect back what was said
*   Answer the question

"Once the level of emotion is raised from a normal question to actually an emotional situation, everything changes, the brain changes of the person who's emotional," she explains.

Dr Mahler suggests using specific gestures to manage the situation. "A little technique is to put the gesture of the problem to the side of your body, which says, ‘I'm not the problem. The problem is out here. You and I can solve this together’," she advises.

This approach not only helps psychologically reassure the person asking the question but also serves as a memory technique for the speaker, helping them maintain composure and structure in their response. By combining these physical techniques with the acknowledgment-reflection-answer sequence, you can respond with grace (and gravitas!).

Handling Difficult Questions

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New events are being added regularly to this highly curated program. Keep an eye on the website Growthfaculty.com for fresh additions to the line-up.

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Public Speaking Tips from Gravitas Author Louise Mahler

Our Book Club interview with body language & voice expert

Keep informed
Stay Inspired

Public Speaking Tips from Gravitas Author Louise Mahler

Our Book Club interview with body language & voice expert

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired