“Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. “ ~ Ambrose Redmoon
Think about that quote as it relates to leadership. Do you agree? I do but I needed to think about examples to be sure and not just agree because it sounds good. If I deem the development of someone more important than my discomfort providing feedback, then I will move forward regardless of how uncomfortable I am. If I think looking at the view at the top of a tower or mountain is more important than my fear of the height, then I will climb to see the view. You can apply it to anything where you are a bit fearful, but something else is more important that causes you to break through that fear.
The amount of change that we have gone through as leaders the past couple of years has bound to have shaken our confidence.
I am working with a few clients that are developing their confidence in specific areas while I am also teaching developing confidence as part of an entrepreneurship course. It has been enlightening to me and has heightened my awareness about my own confidence and areas where that might be developed as a leader. Self-assessment and awareness are critical for leaders ongoing development.
As leaders we are often seen as confident while internally, we struggle. We give off that we know what we are doing while internally our self-talk is the opposite.
Having a firm foundation is critical. For me that happens to be my faith and having something outside myself that I believe in. It is bigger than me and something I can and do count on.
Aside from that, to develop confidence I would like to offer the following tips.
Tips for developing confidence:
- Step outside your comfort zone regularly
- Start small
- One positive experience leads to another
- Learn from the setbacks versus seeing them as failures and reasons to stop growing
- Rewrite the tapes in your head of your inner critic
- Recognize that emotions and feelings are temporary
- Remember the locus of control – focus on things you can control
- Learn about leadership and leading
- Build a likeminded community around you of those that will accept and challenge you
- Develop a realistic self-awareness
- Limit social media for periods of time
- Celebrate wins
Some resources for developing your confidence as a leader:
· The Power of Self-Confidence: Become Unstoppable, Irresistible, and Unafraid in Every Area of Your Life By Brian Tracy
- Managing the Mental Game: How to Think More Effectively, Navigate Uncertainty, and Build Mental Fortitude By Jeff Boss.
- Discover Your True North: Becoming an Authentic Leader By Bill George
- Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway By Susan Jeffers
- The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know By Katty Kay and Claire Shipman.
- The Little Book of Confidence By Susan Jeffers
If you need one on one coaching to develop as a leader, please reach out to us. info@berkshiregroupinc.com or to me personally at janet@berkshiregroupinc.com.
