When I think about the qualities and actions that separate highly effective leaders from average ones, my mind is often drawn to the topic of self-confidence. What stands out to me is the fact that the most successful leaders treat leadership development as an ongoing process and journey. It's not an event or about showing up for training a few times per year; it's about possessing a winning mindset, being self-motivated with the desire to continually improve, not only for yourself but those around you.

Leaders need to understand that their professional development should address more than just their practical skills and competencies. It should also focus on "soft skills" and the sharpening of essential personal attributes to assist their overall development.

I would advocate that one of the most critical attributes of leadership is confidence, but it is sometimes neglected as a strength that requires focus and development. Because you are in a position of leadership, it's assumed that the necessary confidence to perform exceptionally well exists. The reality is that this is not always the case and I have experienced this first-hand with leaders throughout my 20+ years working in the corporate world.

Why Confidence Is So Important

A leader's ability to communicate, inspire, act decisively and pursue a grand vision is made possible with a healthy sense of confidence. It is the foundation of great leadership, and it is the fuel that allows leaders to make a difference—for themselves, their people, and their organizations.

It’s also crucial to understand that arrogance is no substitute for confidence. Arrogance is almost always a disguise that’s used to mask a distinct lack of confidence. It erodes trust, poisons communication, and completely alienates people. Arrogance is a performance, while confidence is a genuine expression of one's authentic self.

So, how can you develop your confidence as a leader and boost your level of effectiveness without coming across as arrogant or boastful?

I’ve compiled some basic exercises and advice that can help you boost your confidence and assist in developing your overall leadership capability.

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#1 — Learn to Trust Your Gut
Your internal compass is one of the more valuable tools you have at your disposal. Whether you call it your intuition, instinct, or a gut feeling, it is powerful and usually does not mislead or guide you. I often ask leaders that I work with what the impact has been when they did not listen to their gut and the feedback is astoundingly consistent—things faltered when they decided not to listen to their gut intuition and instincts.

Today's leaders are besieged by data, analytics and insights, which provide value, but sometimes cause a disconnect from our "gut brain" and feelings. The remarkable thing about your intuition is that it's always analyzing the data in the background. It synthesizes all the input and helps you formulate the best possible decisions.

When you trust your gut and use it to make decisions, you perform at your best—and you grow your confidence considerably.

Here are some of the ways you can hone your ability to trust your gut:

• Clear your mind through meditation and mindfulness; notice the thoughts and emotions that crop up and use this practice to separate your internal truth from the noise.
• Pay attention to your feelings. Work on your ability to tap into the emotions as feelings that exist within your body. Understand how anger and other strong emotions make you feel. Learn how to tell when emotion is influencing your intuition, and you'll be better able to trust your instincts.
• Focus internally; separate the voices and perspectives of others from your true "North Star," which is your internal voice. It's here that you'll find your gut instinct in its purest, most helpful form.

#2 — Spend Time with Other Leaders
Leaders can fall into the trap of isolation quite easily, and when leaders are isolated, they start comparing themselves with other leaders unfairly, which causes them to lose confidence.

By networking with other leaders and spending time with your peers, you are much more likely to feel secure and confident in your abilities. You will be able to share your successes and struggles with others who can relate since they have walked in your shoes. It is also about collaboration, gathering and offering insights and advice to one another which can boost your confidence in a big way. You are the company that you keep, after all, so surround yourself with people who are going to build you up rather than break you down.‍

#3 — Help Others Succeed
Sometimes it's valuable to get outside of yourself to boost your confidence. If you only measure success in terms of your accomplishments and track record, you'll probably end up judging yourself ever more harshly, which may deplete your confidence. Also, remember its not about you, its about serving others. That is what leadership is about, and I often say to people I coach that it isn't about you when you step into a position of leadership; it's about the impact you will have on those around you. Use your leadership power to help others succeed; it will make you feel confident and accomplished when others shine brightly around you.‍

#4 — Play the Role of Confident Leader
You've heard the phrase, "fake it ‘til you make it," right? Well, there's some sound psychology behind that advice. When you feel a lack of confidence, your body language and communication may suffer. But you can reverse engineer a feeling of confidence by taking positive actions and here is how you can bring that to life.

Pay attention to how you’re showing up and presenting yourself, whether it’s through your body language or written/verbal communication. Play the part of a confident leader, even if it feels unnatural. With time and focus your confidence will start to grow and manifest quite naturally.

• Start the day with positive affirmations to set the tone and shift your mindset
• When you meet others, kindly shake hands with a firm grip
• Make eye contact with people when communicating with them to show you care
• Spend time improving your appearance and dress
• Keep your head up and smile, it generates positive energy which exudes confidence
• Treat your body to exercise and rest

These small gestures and actions will have a profound impact on how you operate and perform.

What Are Your Confidence Building Techniques?

Leadership development rarely addresses the topic of confidence head on, even though confidence is probably the number one quality that separates great leaders from average ones. The truth is that even the most naturally confident leaders need to work on maintaining this mindset as it is an ongoing process, but with a little work, it will become second nature.

I've only scratched the surface here with my confidence-boosting tips, so I'm curious about what you think. Have you tried some of the exercises and techniques I've outlined above? Have you developed methods for boosting your confidence? What has worked? What hasn't worked? How do you make sure you're on the right side of the confidence/arrogance line?

I’m curious to know what you think, so please reach out and keep the confidence conversation going. Email me at joanne.trotta@leadersedgeinc.ca. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!