How to boost self-confidence and build your leadership
Think of a leader you really admire. Do they empower people to work towards big goals? Never seem to waver in their decisions? Stay calm in the face of chaos? Own their mistakes like a Pro?
It all comes down to self-confidence.
Self-confidence is a powerful trait, whether you're steering people and projects or guiding yourself towards your goals. It empowers you to make tough decisions, take risks, and foster that all-important trust.
But noting self-confidence doesn't come naturally to everyone, what can you do to build yours? Is it as easy as completing a leadership development program? And how does your self-confidence relate to leadership?
Let's dive in.
What is self-confidence?
Self-confidence is about believing in yourself and trusting in your abilities and judgement. It reveals your strength, areas for improvement, and propels you to face life's challenges, knowing you can handle them.
Confidence vs Arrogance
It's important to distinguish self-confidence from arrogance. Arrogance refers to an overblown sense of self-importance, where a person believes they are superior to others around them. In contrast, self-confidence is rooted in a genuine sense of self-worth – it doesn't require validation from others.
Why is self-confidence important for leadership?
Educator and activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham summed it up when she said, "Confidence is the necessary spark before everything that follows."
Self-confidence is the key to facing obstacles, winning over others, and ensuring the success of your actions. It's the difference between having an idea and actually getting started. Having self-confidence is like having a secret superpower.
Without it, there is no leadership.
Self-confidence in leadership doesn't mean giving out orders or being the loudest person in the room. It means being sure of your strengths and abilities, which helps you to act decisively and stay cool, calm, and collected in the face of adversity.
Displaying self-confidence also makes it easier for others to trust and follow your leadership and decisions, especially during change or uncertainty.
Therefore, self-confidence is critical for self-leadership.
Self-leadership is the ability to influence and direct your thoughts and actions towards your goals. But how can you motivate yourself towards your goals if you don't have confidence in yourself?
Research in psychology shows that a high level of confidence in yourself and your abilities is associated with greater control over what happens to you. This can help you take on challenges. And when these actions are successful, your confidence gets a boost, which helps to build your confidence. And so the loop continues, reinforcing your self-confidence with each successful action.
9 ways to boost your self-confidence
Now that we understand the importance of self-confidence and its role in leadership, let's explore nine practical ways to build and enhance your self-confidence.
While some of the steps listed below can be achieved through leadership and management development programs, others will take a bit more time and practice.
Remember, building your self-confidence is an ongoing process – it won't happen overnight. But when you build it piece by piece, day by day, you'll start noticing the difference and appreciating every little win.
Let's go:
1. Know your strengths.
Build self-awareness by focusing specifically on your strengths. Self-confidence comes from knowing yourself and being realistic about what you’re good at, and what you can improve.
You might be tempted to pay more attention and effort to your weaknesses, but this can drain your energy and confidence.
Research from Gallup proves that leaders who hone in on their strengths aren’t only more confident, but more engaged at work and more likely to achieve their goals. The incredible thing about using your strengths is that it automatically makes you feel good, which builds your self-confidence.
Building self-awareness is an ongoing process, but you can kick-start it with a leadership development program like Maxme's Lead & Succeed.
2. Accept failure.
Everyone fails sometimes – it's a fact of life. Richard Branson's career has had more than its fair share (Virgin Cola, anyone?).
The fear of failure can keep us from realising our true potential as a leader. If we're afraid of failing, we might give up altogether or never take any risks in the first place.
But far from sinking your self-confidence, failures can help your self-confidence soar. Studies show that those who fail regularly and keep trying anyway are better equipped to respond to challenges and setbacks in a positive way. It's that excitement you feel knowing that whatever the result, you'll win simply by gaining more knowledge and skills. This is confidence.
As Branson said in his "Ask Richard" LinkedIn newsletter, "What I've learnt throughout my life is that every success is built upon a thousand failures (or 'opportunities to learn,' as I like to think of them)."
3. Own it.
Accountability is a powerful and crucial skill if you want more confidence.
Owning it simply means assessing a situation and taking responsibility for your behaviour and outcomes. It's about owning your goals and commitments and taking them seriously. It also means owning your mistakes and letting them become lessons for yourself and others.
With accountability comes trust. If you're accountable, you earn the trust of your co-workers. And that trust brings respect, influence and – you guessed it – confidence.
4. Cheer others on.
Confident people support those around them and cheer for their success. When building our leadership skills and confidence, it's easy to fall into the trap of focusing on ourselves. We want to build ourselves up and make sure others recognise us. But supporting others in their success is a brilliant way to demonstrate leadership and build self-confidence.
Try to enjoy seeing other people succeed, and support them in their goals. Being truly happy for other people has a funny way of bringing you happiness too.
5. Listen more than you speak.
We often think that being confident at work means being loud, talking all the time, and being the first to share ideas and opinions. But this can be seen as a mask for insecurity.
Someone who takes their time when talking and listens attentively can appear more confident than one who talks non-stop.
Think of it this way: genuinely confident people recognise they know a lot but wish they knew more. And the best way to learn more? Listen more.
6. Embrace a growth mindset.
Embracing a growth mindset means having the desire to learn and grow continually.
Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck defines a growth mindset as "the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance."
For those with growth mindsets, the focus is less on achievement and more on the whole process of development. As Dweck explains in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, people with a growth mindset tend to embrace change and "persist in the face of setbacks, see effort as the path to mastery, learn from criticism and find lessons and inspiration in the success of others."
That's how a growth mindset helps you feel more confident and in control – because you know you can develop and adapt to meet new challenges and thrive.
So how can you develop a growth mindset?
Take on challenges, and view every challenge as another opportunity to learn and grow. Embrace opportunities to learn and develop your skills, whether through corporate leadership development programs, mentorships or coaching.
7. Be open to feedback.
Are you regularly seeking feedback on your performance and leadership from those around you? Start now and see your self-confidence soar.
As Carl Sagan, a consultant and adviser to NASA, once said, "One of the criteria for leadership should be a talent for understanding, encouraging, and making constructive use of vigorous criticism."
Being open to feedback, even if you think it will be negative, is a sign of self-confidence. But it’s a skill that definitely takes practice. Keep an open mind and learn to accept negative feedback as a motivator to become a better version of yourself.
Ask clarifying questions to ensure you fully understand the feedback, and ask for suggestions on how to take action. For example, questions like "Why is that important?" or "How could I approach this differently?" show you're taking the feedback on board.
8. Stop comparing yourself.
Comparison is the thief of joy, especially at work. It’s the fastest way to kill self-confidence, creating a constant cycle of feeling inferior and unworthy.
The problem is, it's in our nature to compare ourselves to others, so avoiding it takes real effort.
The trick is to remember that we all have different strengths, wants, needs, and priorities. When you're busy comparing yourself to someone's success or skill, you tend to forget about yourself. Focus on your strengths and remember to celebrate your achievements and talents. Be your biggest cheerleader.
9. Collect evidence of your greatness.
Keep a list of your "work receipts". We're not talking about invoices and expenses, but all of your achievements, positive feedback, wins and high points. Then, when your confidence is in a slump, you can easily remind yourself of the times you performed at your peak.
And why stop there? Add in any mementos from training you’ve attended, your growth plan, conferences you want to attend, and articles and quotes that inspire you. Make it a collection of all the things that make you great and let it motivate and inspire your future success. Your very own self-confidence scrapbook!
Start small, start now
Self-confidence isn't a personality trait; it's a skill that can be built. While building it requires work, it's worth every little bit of effort to help your leadership soar.
Start small, and you'll see sustainable changes in how you think about yourself and your behaviour. For instance, you could commit to a leadership development program that helps you recognise your strengths. Then, start building a file filled with evidence of your greatness. Next, ask for feedback from your teammates. Before you know it, you're on the road to greater self-confidence and leadership.
Start building your self-confidence through Maxme's leadership development programs.
Download the Hodie app to start today, or explore our broader menu of Maxme Products & Programs for organisations and individuals.
Prefer to talk through your options? Contact us at any time.
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