ALL real leaders are confident. Yes, they are also intelligent, charismatic, and driven…but it’s confidence that really sets a leader apart from the rest. A confident leader inspires trust and respect from their team and the people in their life, which in turn leads to better performance and higher morale in the workplace and at home.
Confidence is simply believing in yourself and your abilities. It’s having faith that you can handle any situation that comes your way. When you have confidence as a leader, it shows your team that you know what you’re doing and you have their best interests at heart. This sense of security gives your team members the courage to take risks, try new ideas, and push themselves to greater heights. Your healthy (non-egotistical) confidence helps your team respect you, too.
When people respect their leaders, they are more likely to follow them and support their decisions. What’s even better is that when people respect their leaders, they are also more likely to give them credit for any success that the team experiences. That’s why it’s important for leaders to demonstrate confidence in themselves and in their decisions—because it will lead to others trusting and respecting them as well.
Leaders who are confident are also better decision-makers because they trust their instincts and don’t second guess themselves. They know that if something doesn’t work out, they can always adjust accordingly but they don’t waste time questioning their initial decisions or playing “what if?” games with themselves. This type of mindset allows leaders to act quickly and decisively when necessary, which can be essential in certain situations.
Confident leaders are also more likely to take risks because they know that even if something doesn't work out, they can learn from the experience and move on without feeling too discouraged or disheartened by it. This type of risk-taking behavior can help teams achieve greater success by pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas or strategies that might not have been considered otherwise. It also allows teams to stay ahead of the competition by constantly innovating instead of simply relying on what has worked for them in the past.
I didn’t always have confidence as a leader. In fact, if I’m really honest, I’m still working on becoming a confident leader. Building confidence takes time and practice, but I’ve noticed some obvious things that have helped me become more confident. First, you can start by setting specific goals for yourself. Both personal goals (like learning a new skill) as well as professional ones (like launching a successful project). Then break those goals down into smaller tasks that you can accomplish on a daily or weekly basis. As each task gets checked off your list, it will give you the momentum to keep going until the goal has been achieved. This will help build up your self-confidence over time as well as make an impression on those around you who admire your determination.
Another way to gain confidence is to surround yourself with positive people who inspire you to be better than you were yesterday. Have you ever heard that you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time around? These individuals should be able to challenge your ideas while also offering constructive criticism when needed. This will make sure your growth isn't stagnant! Surround yourself with 5 confident people and I promise your confidence will grow.
Something else that has really helped my confidence is being okay with being wrong and admitting when I am wrong. I used to think that this would make me look weak or unintelligent. But I’ve actually learned that this makes people respect you more. And what did I just say about respect? It breeds confidence! Learning to speak up when you’re wrong is just as important as speaking up when you have a good idea and standing firm for what you believe.
Ultimately, confidence isn't just about leading…it's about setting an example for others as well. When people see leaders taking charge with confidence, it encourages them to do the same and can even help them gain confidence in themselves. When employees believe in themselves, it leads to higher productivity levels which directly impacts overall success for the entire organization or team. That's why having a confident leader is so important--it sets off a chain reaction that can lead to long-term success!
Yours,
Jillian
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