Think back to your best teachers, or the bosses who have taught you the most. Chances are these people were confident, self-assured leaders. Self-confidence is often admired by others. It fact, being confident in oneself actually inspires confidence in others. Did you ever notice how confident people actually carry themselves differently? They are often poised, relaxed and they walk tall. Confident people see their lives in a positive light.
On the other hand, when you meet people with little or no confidence, you often observe that there is a certain fear of the unknown for these people. Lack of confidence often translates to a more internal outlook on life and low self-esteem. It’s harder to take risks but easier to stay in their own comfort zone.
People who are more confident seem to live a fuller life. So we asked, are people born one way or another? Or do we learn to be confident?
Confidence seems to have a certain transient quality. Our ability to be more confident increases and decreases based on the circumstances. If you are a runner, or active in some other way, you probably experience this ebb and flow often. After finishing a race that you’ve trained for, you may feel like you could conquer the world!
By experiencing both low and high points of confidence, we know that we can all LEARN to be confident. We learn through practice, training, knowledge, talking to others and by thinking positively. As we learn, our confidence translates to feelings of well-being. We have a greater acceptance of our body and mind. And most importantly, we believe in our own abilities.
As confident leaders, we will be more successful and self-assured. It’s to your advantage to build confidence in the people who work for you and around you. Jack Welch once said, “Giving people self-confidence is by far the most important thing that I can do. Because then they will act.”
As your team gains confidence, there’s a certain vibe of mutual respect that fills the air. And confident people are more willing to go out on a limb – to push for even greater achievements. These are the people you want working for you!
Imagine for a minute that you can separate your team into highly confident people and people with low confidence. Here’s what you may find.
High Confidence vs Low Confidence
| Your team believes in what they are doing, even when others don’t. | Your team does what others expect them to do. |
| A confident team will take risks and even go the extra mile to achieve goals. | A less confident team will stay within their comfort zone. In all likelihood, they will not stretch their capabilities |
| Confidence is not about NOT making mistakes. We’re human. But a confident team will own up to and learn from their mistakes. | A team without confidence, on the other hand, will try to cover up their mistakes – which ends up helping no one and hurting the organization. |
| A confident team accepts congratulations gracefully. | Those less confident will downplay complements offhandedly. |
| A confident team will congratulate and reward the good work of others. | A less confident group will often call attention to their own accomplishments. |
As a leader, it’s important to build self-confidence in your team. We are all persuaded by someone who speaks clearly and confidently. It’s important to stay away from the negative, and instead focus on finding the right solution to a problem.
Training, mentoring and brainstorming play important roles in building confidence within your team. Setting small goals and providing the tools your team needs to succeed will help them achieve goals and build on positive experiences.
Push yourself and challenge others. If you need help with training or mentoring, give LMJA Associates a call at 301-670-0051. We offer personal and professional training for every stage of career development.