Gravitas – Do you have it?

Leadership isn’t about what you project on the outside—it’s about what you believe about yourself on the inside. That’s the idea Lisa Sun, founder and CEO of Gravitas, delivered so powerfully at a recent conference I attended. Her message was clear: confidence isn’t a one-size-fits-all trait, and leadership begins with how we view ourselves—not how others perceive us.

Lisa’s journey to redefine confidence started with a performance review early in her career at McKinsey & Company. Her boss noted that she “lacked gravitas.” Imagine having someone tell you that the intangible “it” factor you thought you were supposed to have wasn’t there. Instead of letting it define her, Lisa set out on a 20-year mission to crack the code on confidence. Spoiler alert: her work has revolutionized how women view themselves, their strengths, and their ability to lead.

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Confidence, Redefined from the Inside Out

Lisa’s research uncovered something profound: confidence isn’t a static trait reserved for the boldest or the most outspoken. Instead, it’s made up of eight unique strengths, or “superpowers,” that live within all of us. These strengths aren’t just about what you do—they’re about who you are and what you believe.

Here are the eight superpowers Lisa outlined:

1. Leading – Inspiring others and taking charge.
2. Performing – Thriving under pressure and in the spotlight.
3. Achieving – Being focused and results-driven.
4. Giving – Building connections through acts of kindness.
5. Knowing – Standing firm in your expertise and decisions.
6. Creating – Innovating and thinking outside the box.
7. Believing – Radiating optimism and inspiring others.
8. Self-Sustaining – Resilience and staying grounded in adversity.

Lisa helped us identify our dominant strengths through a simple quiz, and let me tell you—it felt like uncovering a secret blueprint to my confidence. My top superpowers turned out to be Creating, Achieving, and Leading which didn’t surprise me but made me see how much that strength drives my ability to take on and accomplish big projects while getting others on board to the direction of the project as well.

One moment that stuck with me was when Lisa shared a story about a woman who constantly downplayed her achievements, brushing off compliments with, “Oh, it was nothing.” Sound familiar? It did to me. Lisa worked with her to lean into her Achieving strength, helping her recognize the value of celebrating her accomplishments instead of minimizing them.

I’ve been guilty of this myself—downplaying wins or focusing too much on what I could have done better. After Lisa’s talk, I made a mental commitment to flip the script. Instead of brushing off praise, I’ve started pausing to acknowledge the effort and thought I put into my work.

Leadership isn’t about fitting into someone else’s mold; it’s about owning who you are and leaning into your strengths. Whether your superpower is Knowing, Giving, Creating, or something else, confidence starts with what you believe on the inside.

So, what’s your superpower? You can take the quiz and learn more about your professional strengths to unlock the knowledge to begin to build on your superpowers: https://gravitasnewyork.com/pages/my-confidence-language-quiz