Good morning, Leaders! It’s Friday!

If attitude is the rudder, then confidence is the governor and a unique blend of skill, talent and experience is the driving force.

Per Google search
Confidence con·fi·dence
ˈkänfədəns
noun
1-the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
“we had every confidence in the staff”
synonyms: trust, belief, faith, credence, conviction

2-the state of feeling certain about the truth of something.

3-a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.

What strikes me about confidence is the Goldilocks factor (too soft, too hard, and just right) but in this case it’s excessive humility, hubris and confident!

We live in a country where we typically believe bigger is better. More land to homestead, more opportunities to cultivate and prosper, bigger cars, bigger houses, somehow we equate excess with success. Confidence might be one of the rare exceptions.

Driving fast on the Autobahn in a finely tuned German car is probably loads of fun but outdriving your headlights on a rainy night with weathered wipers on any roadway in any car, is ill advised. High speed under the wrong conditions can be catastrophic.

Taking the driving metaphor one step further, if you’re just putt-putt-putting along at 35 mph on the interstate while cars are screaming past you at more than twice the rate, you’d best speed up or be run over. Being too timid in the wrong environment might be just as deadly.

“Step away from the vehicle (analogies)!”

What does it sound like when leaders lack confidence?

*That’s not my strong suit
* I don’t know what to say
* You should ask someone else
* We better give (them) a raise or (they) might leave
* It’s not my problem
* Don’t talk to my customer
* I don’t agree with the CEO’s Vision
* The dog ate my homework
* It will take a month to get that contract put together
*I’d better stay late because I didn’t get enough done today

What does it sound like when leaders are overly confident?

* I know how to do everything well
* I often speak at conferences and get the highest ratings
* I know the answers so come to me first
* My direct reports love me, they are the best in the company and I make sure they are the highest paid in every category
* I don’t have any problems
* My customers prefer to talk to me exclusively
* I could be the CEO tomorrow (why can’t everybody see that?)
* I don’t need to study/read/prepare for the interview
* You don’t really need that at all, I’d work without a contract
* I’m leaving early because I solved all the problems with time to spare

Confident leaders say:
•I know myself; my strengths, my weaknesses, how to delegate and how to deliver
•I work hard to be articulate, pragmatic and add value
•I prefer to empower my managers but mentor them and provide support so they can learn to solve issues on their own
•I subscribe to the pay for performance philosophy
•Problem solving is a team sport. Frame them properly, build consensus, gain buy-in and execute
•I look forward to working with our customers. It offers the chance to introduce team members/skills and provides growth opportunities for emerging leaders
•I support the direction of the company openly. If I have concerns I voice them privately to resolve any differences. If I cannot find agreement with Mission, Vision and Core Values, I may be best suited to leverage my career assets elsewhere.
•I enjoy learning new things and am always ready to expand my knowledge and wisdom base
•I have a need to expedite my contract agreements quickly. If our internal processes don’t support a quick turnaround, I’ll seek help from our outside legal provider so we comply with the client’s schedule as well as the risk appetite of the organization.
•I work diligently and in day tight compartments. I exercise, pray/meditate, eat well, work hard on important initiatives, decompress, support my loved ones and rest so I’m restored for another day of challenging and purpose-filled work.

Which list best fits your daily responses?  If it’s not where you want to be, what do you plan to do about it?  Will you be starting today?

Have a blessed weekend!