As a leader, it’s important to inspire confidence and trust in your team. However, certain habits and behaviors can undermine our confidence and make us feel less capable and self-assured.
Here are ten habits to give up in order to feel more confident as a leader:
Comparing yourself to others: Comparison is often the thief of joy, and constantly comparing yourself to others can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. Instead, focus on your own strengths and achievements, and celebrate the successes of others without comparing yourself to them.
Saying one thing and doing another: Leaders who say one thing and do another can create confusion and mistrust among their team. Instead, try to be consistent in your words and actions, and be true to your values and beliefs.
Procrastinating: Putting things off until the last minute can lead to feelings of stress and anxiety, and can erode confidence in your ability to manage your time and meet deadlines. Instead, try to break tasks down into smaller, more manageable chunks and tackle them one at a time.
Playing the victim: Blaming others or circumstances for your own failures can make you feel powerless and incapable. Instead, try to take ownership of your actions and decisions, and use any setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve.
Seeking validation from others: It’s natural to want to be recognized and appreciated, but relying on the validation of others for your own self-worth can lead to low confidence. Instead, try to find validation within yourself and build your own self-worth independent of external validation.
Avoiding risks: It’s natural to feel nervous about taking risks, but avoiding them altogether can hold you back and prevent you from growing and learning. Instead, try to embrace challenges and take calculated risks in order to stretch yourself and build confidence.
Focusing on the negative: It’s easy to get stuck in a negative mindset, but constantly dwelling on the negative can make you feel helpless and demoralized. Instead, try to focus on the positive aspects of your life and look for opportunities to learn and grow.
Perfectionism: Striving for perfection can be admirable, but when it becomes all-consuming, it can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low confidence. Instead, try to focus on progress and improvement, and be okay with making mistakes and learning from them.
Being a people-pleaser: Trying to please everyone all the time can be exhausting and lead to feelings of inadequacy. Instead, try to be true to yourself and your own values, and don’t be afraid to say no when necessary.
Negative self-talk: The inner monologue we have with ourselves can be powerful and can either build us up or tear us down. Instead of engaging in negative self-talk, try to speak to yourself with kindness and encourage yourself the way you would a friend.
By giving up these habits and replacing them with more positive and confident behaviors, you can improve your self-esteem and feel more capable and self-assured.
Lead From Within: Confidence is the foundation of leadership. Without it, a leader is ineffective and uncertain, with it, a leader is capable and decisive.
#1 N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.