People want to know that the leader knows what he/she is doing, and can steer the ship they are on to a better place – or at least avoid the rocks.
We are wired to be very perceptive about how others feel. We notice their body language and voice and facial expressions and see if they are congruent with what they are saying. We know when others are confident or not.
If our leader is not confident, there is no way we are.
If you are not confident in what you are doing, there is no way your team is.
If your team is not confident in you or where your company is going, they will not give their best effort in a given direction because they are unsure like you are. They will question what they are doing and why, and they may leave.
Leadership is bringing out the best in other people while accomplishing the goals of the organization. The balance between people giving their best or not is very well the difference between success and failure – profit and loss.
There is an inner game that drives confidence, but in the end, you have to have it to spread it.
Are you confident?
Amen. I believe optimism and confidence are closely related. They are not the same, but you need them both to lead effectively.