Being smart, clever, and quick builds the competencies that leaders need to succeed. But being recognized as a problem solver and having all the answers are two separate things - and if you're not careful the latter can lead to trouble. Self-confidence is one of the most important qualities you can have in life and in business but too much is never a good thing. So how can you build leadership confidence without becoming arrogant?
Celebrate the Little Successes
The journey to becoming a self-assured leader that inspires others to strive for success takes time and experience and rarely happens overnight. The road will be full of bumps and roadblocks but the ability to accept your failures, learn from them and move on to the next obstacle is a quality every great leader needs. Leaders who take the time to celebrate the little milestones or smaller successes throughout a career have an easier time putting it all into perspective. It's sometimes easy to forget how much effort, discipline, and tenacity it takes to climb the ladder to success once you've reached the top. Making an effort to celebrate each and every rung along the way keeps your perspective fresh, real, and in focus.
Reinforcing and Building the Confidence of Your Team
Believe it or not by simply improving the confidence of your team you can build your own leadership confidence in a healthy strategic way. Reinforcing their strengths through reward, praise and support positively impacts your team and their improvements build your self-esteem as you celebrate your role in their successes. It's a process that naturally creates happiness and positive feelings. Essentially the more endorphins you can create and spread throughout your team the more your leadership self-confidence grows.
Modesty Goes A Long Way
Once a leader reaches a certain level of success there is definitely a tendency to confuse confidence with arrogance. Too many leaders fail to understand the difference and find themselves putting off potential business partners clients and customers. Modesty is often an underappreciated trait yet it's a key component of lasting leadership. The fact is all leaders from every industry need to maintain humility regardless of fame fortune or success. Humble self-confidence is an endearing quality and people are drawn to leaders who are good at what they do but don't have to wear success on their sleeve. Always remember your roots and no matter how much success, prestige, and power you may have you put your clothes on just like everyone else…one leg at a time.