Show gravitas on demand by taking up space and trimming reassurances

In the next meeting, watch how often heads bounce when someone important speaks. It’s meant to show agreement, but it can read as low status. You choose a different route. Feet planted, shoulders relaxed, chin slightly lowered so your eyes open a bit more. When a question hits, you pause a breath instead of spilling “uh‑huh, right, yeah.” The room hears confidence in the quiet.

On the sidewalk later, you try a tiny ‘gorilla walk’—not aggressive, just a touch more space, arms loose, breath low. A passerby gives way without knowing why. It’s not about dominating, it’s about carrying your body like it belongs.

A micro‑anecdote: a new director recorded herself in a team meeting. “I couldn’t believe the bobble‑heading,” she said. The next week she practiced stillness and fewer fillers. “People stopped interrupting me.”

Why it works is simple. Humans read space and stillness as signals of status and safety. Excess reassurance often comes from our own insecurity and leaks as low power. I might be wrong, but you’ll find that stillness and space can do more persuading than extra words ever will.

At your next gathering, plant your feet or sit with a wide, balanced base and let your shoulders relax so you can breathe deeply. Cut rapid nods and filler words by inserting a calm breath instead, and let a beat of silence reassure the room. Practice a gentle ‘gorilla walk’ for ten steps on your commute to normalize feeling a little bigger, and keep your chin slightly lowered to look thoughtful rather than aloof. Try this on your next big question of the day.