Leadership is one of the best jobs out there. However, many leaders are not confident in doing their job. Because of this, their performance suffers. This article will show you the importance of self confidence in leadership and how to build it.
Self confidence can be described as the belief in one’s competencies and skills. It’s often interchanged with self-esteem and self-worth. But those are different things.
This is important in leadership because you need to influence people. Self-confidence can give you an assurance to your effectiveness as a leader.
Trying to teach leadership without first building confidence is like building a house on a foundation of sand. It may have a nice coat of paint, but it is ultimately shaky at best. This is the importance of self confidence in leadership.
Why is Self Confidence in Leadership a Good Quality?
Generally, when as leader, you exhibit confidence, it makes it easier to trust you. People want to work with leaders who are competent and they trust.
Not only will they feel comfortable about your ability to lead. Confidence will also make them feel secured that you can deal with daily challenges – no matter how hard.
After all, high confidence leaders are rated as being more courageous. Because you’re willing to make bold changes. And you’re quick to spot problems and recognize the need to change early.
One of your responsibilities as a leader is to cast a vision. In the Book of Proverbs 29:18 it says, “without vision, people perish“. However, it’s hard to cast a vision if you don’t have confidence in yourself.
In the end, you will always doubt yourself and your skills. You’ll ask yourself if you were ever a good leader. Or if you were doing the right thing or you should have rejected the promotion.
Self confidence in leadership is a good quality because it keeps you on track. It keeps you focused on making your vision come true.
How To Develop Self Confidence in Leadership?
Since self confidence is an essential part of leadership, you must develop it. When you’re confident, you can think positively about the future. You’re willing to take the risks to achieve your vision.
The good news is that self-confidence is something you can improve and build. It’s not something you’re born natural with.
Here are some useful tips you can use right now to boost!
Learn About Leadership
Take a course, read a few books, and study the great leaders. Learn what influential leaders do and don’t do. Learn the frameworks, techniques, and skills they use to lead effectively. If you can, invest in a mastermind group or in a mentor – someone who’s been to where you want to go.
Don’t leave becoming effective to chance. After all, the more you learn about what effective leaders do, it increases your self confidence in leadership.
Look Confident
You can develop confidence by developing your image as a leader. By making yourself look confident, you’re affecting how you feel about yourself. It’s not a “fake it ‘til you make it” kind of tactic. The truth is, how you look changes the way you feel about yourself.
Pay attention to your physical appearance. Taking care of your body and getting in shape can increase your confidence. Therefore, it increases your performance. It’s the same with a new pair of glasses, new hairstyle, a new suit, or a new pair of shoes.
Watch your posture. Make eye contact, smile, and use a firm grip when you shake hands. All the things you’ve learned about on how to make an impactful first impression affects your leadership long-term. So take note of how you carry yourself as a leader.
Recognize Your Talents
Spend some time recognizing and realizing your strengths and talents. I know most of the things you’ve learned about leadership might go against this. But knowing and developing your talent is better than working on your weaknesses.
Working on your strengths will make you a more effective leader. If you can’t develop your weaknesses, look for someone who’s strong suit is what you lack. You’ll soon realize that they complement your skills and you finish great things together.
Know your skills. Always look for something to improve on and look for where you can be most effective as a leader. Give yourself permission to take pride in what you do well and to express yourself in your talents and strengths.
Build Self Confidence by Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
When you spend most of your time in your comfort zone, you won’t grow. Worse, you can feel ‘exposed’ and ‘vulnerable’ when something doesn’t go quite to plan.
But when you push yourself out of your comfort zone, your areas of influence grow. You stretch yourself and you start to become more comfortable with being uncomfortable. This happens by letting yourself experience things you haven’t done before.
Go address that issue, accept an opportunity to speak in public, or spend time with your people. Do whatever will stretch those comfortable boundaries. Stretching won’t happen overnight. But it’s bound to happen eventually.
Those are just some of the ways to improve your self confidence as a leader. Right now, let’s learn how a self confident leader acts.
Examples Of Self Confident Leaders
Self confident leaders act in a different manner than those leaders who don’t believe themselves. Moreover, they exude the kind “aura” that makes people around them depend on them. It all starts with their behavior.
Here are some characteristics and behaviors of confident leaders:
- Emotionally strong and mentally tough. They don’t give up easily.
- Don’t panic or flee in the face of problems. Rather, they thrive in it.
- Not boastful or arrogant. You’ll notice that they are humble because they don’t over identify themselves with their position.
- Recognize that failure is a learning experience. That’s why they take calculated risks so they can grow.
- They are able to speak their opinions and knowledge. And they listen to other people’s perspective, too.
- They are wise to know that knowledge is not enough. Wisdom is needed as well.
- They have positive vision and they work to communicate that vision in a clear way.
- Admit what they don’t know but they don’t settle for the void. They work to discover the answers to their questions.
- Expresses gratitude on both their responsibilities and rewards as leaders.
- Accept accomplishments and give recognition away. They apply the “window and mirror principle.” Meaning they look for others when giving recognition. And they look at themselves when accepting responsibilities.
Final Thoughts On Self Confidence In Leadership
Confidence is the foundation of great leadership. If you want to be a strong leader then you must dig a deep foundation in your self confidence.
Having self confidence in leadership will inspire people to be like you. They will look forward to working with you because they trust you. After all, how other people see us is a reflection on how we see ourselves.
What specific step are you going to apply today to develop your confidence as a leader? Let me know in the comments below!
