Because you're a leader, that's why! It's your destiny, your calling, you can't help it, it's part of who you are. You were made for this!
"A leader does not deserve the name unless he is willing occasionally to stand alone."
-Henry Kissinger
Is Your Confidence Showing?
Let's not confuse confidence with arrogance. Arrogance is "I know it all and there is nothing you could possibly say or do that would be better than what I am already saying and doing." Confidence is "My gut (experience, intuition) says this is where we need to go. I'm open to suggestions on how to get there."
How could an employee, team, student, spouse, child ever entertain the idea of following you if you waffle on your decisions on a daily (hourly, minute) basis? If you don't appear confident in your own decisions, how can others possibly have confidence in you?
As leaders sometimes, maybe even oftentimes, we have to make tough decisions rather quickly. You can't second guess yourself. And contrary to popular belief, making no decision is still making a decision (just not a very good one). And acknowledging when you have made a wrong decision is the greatest trademark a leader can have.
Confidence Does NOT Mean You No Longer Should Learn and Grow.
In the first paragraph I mentioned how you will take training courses that tell you to do everything different. I am a huge advocate of training, learning, and growing. Anyone that knows me very well at all will tell you that about me. A leader has to take all the information available (including this blog) and discern what will work best for them. That doesn't mean you have an "out" and can now say "my way is the best way" (see arrogance above). But it does mean you can constantly learn from your own experiences as well as the experiences of others. You can try different approaches. You can read material and do a gut check as to whether or not it will work in your environment with your personality. As I have often heard said, "if your not growing, your dying.
Parting Thought
Stand tall and even if your supervisor is questioning you, have the confidence to stand up for what you believe. If you want others to follow you, give them a reason to do so. Know in your heart that even when it seems like everyone is challenging you, that doesn't necessarily mean you are crazy, it could mean they are averse to change. Be willing to hear feedback but don't let it interfere with what you know is the right thing to do.
Have the confidence to lead and others will gladly follow.
Mari
Let's not confuse confidence with arrogance. Arrogance is "I know it all and there is nothing you could possibly say or do that would be better than what I am already saying and doing." Confidence is "My gut (experience, intuition) says this is where we need to go. I'm open to suggestions on how to get there."
How could an employee, team, student, spouse, child ever entertain the idea of following you if you waffle on your decisions on a daily (hourly, minute) basis? If you don't appear confident in your own decisions, how can others possibly have confidence in you?
As leaders sometimes, maybe even oftentimes, we have to make tough decisions rather quickly. You can't second guess yourself. And contrary to popular belief, making no decision is still making a decision (just not a very good one). And acknowledging when you have made a wrong decision is the greatest trademark a leader can have.
Confidence Does NOT Mean You No Longer Should Learn and Grow.
In the first paragraph I mentioned how you will take training courses that tell you to do everything different. I am a huge advocate of training, learning, and growing. Anyone that knows me very well at all will tell you that about me. A leader has to take all the information available (including this blog) and discern what will work best for them. That doesn't mean you have an "out" and can now say "my way is the best way" (see arrogance above). But it does mean you can constantly learn from your own experiences as well as the experiences of others. You can try different approaches. You can read material and do a gut check as to whether or not it will work in your environment with your personality. As I have often heard said, "if your not growing, your dying.
Parting Thought
Stand tall and even if your supervisor is questioning you, have the confidence to stand up for what you believe. If you want others to follow you, give them a reason to do so. Know in your heart that even when it seems like everyone is challenging you, that doesn't necessarily mean you are crazy, it could mean they are averse to change. Be willing to hear feedback but don't let it interfere with what you know is the right thing to do.
Have the confidence to lead and others will gladly follow.
Mari
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