To be an effective leader, you must project confidence for your team. Failure to do so will cause people to question your abilities and limit your career growth. Like entering action with boldness, confidence is vital to be a decision-maker. Unfortunately, though, being confident can rub some people the wrong way, creating both perception issues for you that’s unintended. Even worse, some people can see your confidence as threatening or a source of envy, creating unnecessary drama for yourself.
Why is confidence needed as a leader?
People are drawn to leaders who demonstrate confidence because they are typically more charismatic, compelling, and influential. Confident leaders tend to more extroverted too. Here in North America, confidence is often associated with competence and skill. The more competent one is with a specific talent, the more confident they will be. If given the opportunity between a confident surgeon or someone unsure of their abilities, any sane person would take the surgeon with confidence.
Most organizations want to ensure that they have leaders who are confident in leading their teams and critical projects. Less experienced employees are often paired up with confident leaders expected to share their knowledge, while also knocking down barriers to success. Employees don’t want to work with someone who continually questions themselves or is unsure of what to do. I’ve worked for these types of leaders before, and it’s incredibly painful.
In terms of public speaking, a lack of confidence communicating can ultimately erode the credibility of a presenter. Since influencing others relies so much on sharing info and presenting, a confident communicator will persuade others to act often compared to the less confident competition.
Drawbacks of being a confident leader
The percentage of confident vs. unconfident leaders varies greatly depending on the industry and organization. When tied to extroversion, leaders with confidence can sometimes rub others the wrong way. Speaking up in team meetings, sharing opinions, and helping to drive ongoing change forward, can come across as imposing one’s will on those who are quieter. Sometimes a confident leader is seen as steamrolling others in pushing their ideas forward. Unfortunately, this often due to their counterparts failing to speak up or share.
Sometimes two equally confident leaders can butt heads, competing for time, resources, and attention. Both know what they want and need, but it can sometimes lead to an all-out war, that’s often unintended, but a casualty of their collective passions and enthusiasm.
Confident leaders might also come across as too high energy by those with less confidence on the team. Struggling to relate to some, the ambition and motivation of confident leaders can lead to them having higher expectations that some struggle to meet. Unfortunately, being so confident in one’s abilities can also lead to significant perception issues. Some people equate confidence with arrogance or being cocky. These subjective terms are a matter of perspective and can vary greatly depending on the person, but if the wrong person perceives you this way, be careful.
Final Thoughts
I am confident in my abilities. I know what I know, and don’t try to pretend that I know something that I don’t. If I am wrong, I’ll learn from the mistakes made. Does that make me arrogant or cocky? Maybe, but it depends on where you are coming from.
Confidence often comes from a variety of sources, but I think two areas contribute the most: experience and mindset. The more experienced someone is in terms of specific talents, the more confident they will be. If I spend years building, managing, and leading teams to achieve outstanding results, I am going to have more confidence than someone who has never done it before. In terms of mindset, if you’re open to new possibilities and willing to learn from mistakes, instead of dwelling on them, and be crushed, odds are you exhibit more confidence. You’ll see challenges as opportunities for improvement instead of enormous obstacles.
Follow the ABC’s of being a strong leader, and you will be set up for success:
To become more confident, you need to grow and evolve your network and experiences continually.
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