Is there something great that you want to accomplish in your life? I genuinely hope so. Whatever dream is in your heart to achieve, you'll need help. You'll need the trust and support of others, and that takes confidence. And confidence is "the belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities." It's a feeling of self-assurance from one's appreciation of one's abilities and trust in one's judgment. If you commit your mind, you can accomplish anything. Now I understand that confidence may not be something you were born with, but it is something you can learn. Confidence is born out of action. So let's explore good characteristics for a confident leader to acquire.

Self-assurance

As a leader, you must know who you are and remain true to yourself. It requires faith in your abilities and decision-making. You must accept, love, and trust yourself. Learning to trust yourself can be challenging. Because as hard as we try, we can't lie to ourselves. We know when we didn't give 100%, lied, cheated, took shortcuts, over-promised and under-delivered, and everything else we're not proud to admit. Yes, it's a bitter pill to swallow. Forgive yourself and start becoming who God called and created you to be. You're the most qualified person in the world to complete your assignment. Start by identifying your strengths, unique abilities, and skills that come naturally to you and bring you enjoyment when you use them. Don't be afraid to fail. It's part of the journey. Learn from it. Keep growing and going.

Communicate Effectively

Let's be honest. In communication, anything that can be misunderstood will be misunderstood. And, when people misunderstand you, how often do they assume the best-case scenario? Never! A friend of mine shared an acronym with me a few years ago that transformed my communication. The acronym was C.Y.A. (Can You Articulate). Effective communication combines what you know, how well you know it, and how well you share it. Learning to convey your vision and expectations removes uncertainty. To be a confident leader, you must develop your communication skills to be heard or understood by others. Good communication skills are vital in building trusting and transparent relationships. Excellent communication skills start with great listening skills. Become an active listener. Don't just wait for your turn to talk. Listen to understand.

Be Decisive

Decisiveness is the ability to make decisions quickly and confidently, even in uncertain situations. Napoleon Hill said, "The way to develop decisiveness is to start right where you are, with the very next question you face." Because decisiveness prompts action, your leadership should inspire your team to take the necessary steps to achieve goals and resolve issues. As leaders, our decisions have a tremendous impact on our teams. Indecisiveness creates uncertainty and confusion, leading to increased delays and inefficiency. Being decisive is a characteristic of a confident leader committed to success and personal growth.

Lead by Example

As leaders, we can't just set standards. We must live them. "Walk the talk" and set a positive example for your team. As a confident leader, you should set the standard that you expect your team to follow. Leading by example creates alignment between what you say and what you do. It also creates a company culture of mutual respect which helps the whole team to work together more effectively. To lead by example, pay attention to your behaviors and ensure they model the values and expectations you set for others. Be open and willing to make mistakes, then be transparent about how you fix them so that others can learn from your example.

The more action you take, the more overall success you'll have. The more success you have, the more confident you feel. This confidence empowers you to take more action. The courage to continue taking action makes for a great, self-confident leader.