The Art of Gravitas: Your Guide to Genuine Confidence and Empowerment
Jul 9, 2024
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Lisa Sun, a dynamic entrepreneur and former McKinsey consultant, shares her journey from a young cashier in her family's restaurant to founding a successful fashion and content brand. She discusses the importance of viewing feedback as a gift and explores six forces that hinder personal growth. Lisa emphasizes the need for genuine self-acceptance over performative confidence and highlights how embracing your inner child can empower you. With wisdom from Dale Carnegie, she showcases how confidence can transform leadership and communication.
Lisa Sun emphasizes the importance of treating feedback as a valuable opportunity for growth rather than a criticism to be feared.
Understanding the various types of confidence can help individuals recognize their unique strengths and foster authentic personal development.
Deep dives
The Journey of an Entrepreneur
Lisa Sun, the founder and CEO of Gravitas, shares her impactful journey from being the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants to establishing a successful fashion brand. Growing up in Fontana, California, she learned early on about entrepreneurship by helping in her family’s restaurant. Her extensive experience at McKinsey & Company provided her with invaluable insights into client service and corporate dynamics, where she faced the challenges of advancing in a male-dominated environment. Her mother's encouragement ultimately led Lisa to invest her savings into her own business, combining her passion for fashion with empowering women through confidence-driven clothing.
The Impact of Feedback
In her career, Lisa experienced pivotal moments shaped by feedback, turning potentially hurtful critiques into opportunities for growth. A defining moment came during her annual review at McKinsey when she was advised to cultivate gravitas, leading her to redefine confidence on her own terms. Rather than berating herself over the feedback, she embraced it and created a philosophy around confidence that inspired her company. This willingness to share and act on feedback not only shaped her leadership style but also fostered a culture of openness and growth within her business.
Naming and Overcoming Fear
Lisa discusses how understanding the roots of fear can empower individuals to confront and conquer it. She identifies six core forces that contribute to fear and insecurity, emphasizing that acknowledging these challenges is the first step toward overcoming them. By breaking down these barriers, individuals can cultivate a mindset that allows them to view feedback as constructive rather than critical. Lisa encourages people to shift their perspectives and embrace their inner strengths, which can lead to greater resilience and confidence in personal and professional endeavors.
Confidence as a Multifaceted Concept
The concept of confidence is explored in detail, highlighting that it comprises various types rather than being a singular trait. Lisa, through her research, has identified eight different types of confidence, understanding that people may excel in certain areas while lacking in others. This nuanced perspective helps individuals articulate their unique strengths and builds a framework for personal development. The ability to recognize and develop these facets of confidence is crucial for anyone striving to assert themselves both personally and professionally, fostering a more authentic presence.
Lisa Sun is a businesswoman through and through. She credits it to her parents, saying, “I cut my teeth as an entrepreneur, because in 1987, at the age of eight—I don't think my mother understood child labor laws—I was the cashier [at their restaurant]. I learned firsthand what it took to create something from nothing.”
Lisa’s achievements accelerated when she entered high school at only twelve years old and was introduced to Dale Carnegie. “I read [How to Win Friends and Influence People] cover to cover, and it was my formative experience at twelve years old learning what it meant to operate in Western culture, to shake hands and remember people's names and ask questions and be interested. I would not be the person I am today if I hadn't had that experience.”
Lisa’s experience also involves twelve years with McKinsey and Company, where she sought feedback and grew as a person. When she decided to start GRAVITAS, she interviewed 200 people for insights and brainstorming. She says, “The more you allow people to have fingerprints on your journey, the more likely they're going to be invested in [your] success.” Today, Lisa helps empower others with confidence so they can reach their highest potential.
What You Will Learn:
How to treat feedback as a gift
Details on the six forces Lisa has identified that hold us back
The importance of being who we are, not “faking it until we make it”
Why you need to embrace your five-year-old self more often
Lisa could not have packed this interview with more insight than the plethora she provides. Don’t miss out on all her tips for building confidence, her stories of growing up with a “Tiger Mom,” and her encouragement to take chances. Listeners will easily apply Lisa’s advice to their own lives as they learn to live with more gravitas.
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