Confidence Building Tips You Need to Know
Confident leaders are effective in what they do. Their confidence propels them to success, which in turn, results in even higher confidence. However, as humans, we all sometimes need a shot of confidence to overcome a situation or emotional dry spell. A lack of confidence could be the difference between a celebration of success or a walk down the hall of disappointment. Here are some tips to boost the confidence level of any leader.
Janice Stephen, a certified electrician and my go-to person for electrical contract work, was doing a project for me. I noticed she was working on a light switch that still had current running through it. Concerned, I asked her if she realized the switch had current. It was more of a statement than a question.
Janice slowly turned to look at me. Smiling, she quietly said, “I know it has current. It’s ok because I know what I’m doing.” Sensing my uneasy feeling, she continued. “I know my capability, and don’t mess with what I don’t know.” I can attest to that because she is one of the few contractors, I know who is confident in her capabilities and readily admits when she is not the expert for a particular job and would recommend someone who is.
I am not an electrician, although I have dabbled with it. However, if I was working on that switch with current flowing through it, I would have been taking a huge risk with a potentially fatal consequence. It was no risk at all for Janice.
Self-confidence is knowing and trusting in your capabilities to successfully deliver results. That’s an important soft skill for leaders but is very often ignored. While some people are born or nurtured to be confident and outgoing, others need to work to develop that skill.
Some Benefits of Being Confident
- Less stress resulting in better quality efforts. The less stressed you are the fewer mistakes you tend to make.
- Drives successful outcomes. The more confident you are the more clear-headed and the better decisions you will make.
- Positive attitude and forward-focused. Confidence will boost your attitude and put a pep in your step.
- Good at managing conflict. When you are confident, you have less of a drive to prove your worth to skeptics.
- Attracts supporters. People like to follow confident leaders.
How confident are you in what you do? Janice’s confidence comes from 20+ years of experience and studying her craft.
Confidence Building Lessons For Leaders from My Electrician
Here are six things I observed that contribute to Janice’s confidence and leaders should apply.
- Know when to say no. Janice will not hesitate to decline a prospective job, especially in activities she is not as comfortable with.
- Demonstrate quiet confidence. My electrician is not boastful, nor does she feel a need to justify her skills unless it is warranted. She won’t debate you on her capabilities. Interestingly, those who are more vocal may not be the most confident.
- Have a learning bias. Janice is open and willing to learn new approaches. Her willingness to learn new techniques and skills helps her prepare for new challenges. A quote attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca says, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
- Develop and maintain high standards. Janice has stretching standards and expectations of herself and those employed by her. This extends from starting a project to the excellent condition she leaves the site upon completion. She turns down anything that would not reflect her brand.
- Be a giver. My electrician is always willing to help others with her skills, even donating her skills and time to the less fortunate. And for those interested, she is also always in teaching mode.
- Be spiritually grounded. One behavior I appreciate about Janice is that she is grounded in her faith. She is quick to acknowledge that her skills are a gift for which she continually thanks God and knows He is always there helping her.
Our current environment is experiencing unprecedented business competition, never-before political chaos, and increasingly skewed moral compasses. That demands strong self-confidence. Whether you are at home or work, a line worker or CEO, a school teacher or medical doctor, self-confidence is an essential skill to have. It is even more critical if you are in any leadership capacity of others. The question is: How confident are you?
Empowered Leader Reflection
Considering past situations when you felt you could take on the world, how is your self-confidence today?
Would you share your thoughts in the Reply section below?
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