Speaking of confidence is not new when considering characteristics that are imperative to true leadership. The intentional approach to speak confidently, care deeply and live positively adds so much to the effectiveness to leaders that practice in this way,.
Do you believe confidence or competence is most important? That’s a tough question and one that may have a bit of a tricky answer. Confidence is absolutely imperative for leadership. This doesn’t mean competence is not important, it’s just that confidence must be present. Consider a teacher that is knowledgeable about the subject he or she teaches, but lacks confidence. This lack of confidence will show in communication, how content is explained, examples given and the overall outcome. Now consider the confident teacher who delivers the content with confidence, knowledge and great passion. Who will have the best result? Individuals pay attention to those with great confidence. Confidence matters, competence matters…speak confidently.
You may have heard the phrase “people don’t care who much you know, until they know how much you care.” A famous quote by Teddy Roosevelt. This is compelling when you consider how important it is to care deeply for those you lead. Once people know how much you care, they will focus on doing their part to support the vision of the leader. Think about the last time someone really showed they cared about you, something that was important to you, or took the time to actively listen to your concerns. Caring deeply is not just heard, it’s felt by the recipient. You might question if this is too personal, or unnecessary in the ever accelerating change we are dealing with today. I you with this point: If you don’t show you care to each and every team member you lead, someone else will!
My favorite aspect of this message is to choose to be positive. This does not mean just saying you are positive, it means you live it. Choose to smile, engage with team members, encourage others with an optimistic view and when times are tough, choose to be positive anyway. In order to be successful here, you will need to create a positive environment for others to live and work. This means a friendly atmosphere where team members feel comfortable, they feel heard, respected and able to do their best work everyday. Living positively is so much more than what we say, it’s our body language, our words and how we demonstrate we care through the environment we create. Leaders consistently speak confidently, care deeply and live positively!