The Currency of Confidence

At the end of each Foundation for Effective Leadership program, I ask participants to complete a survey about their experience and what they learned. In our last cohort, several participants named their primary focus and most impactful change from the program as an increase in confidence.

What is Confidence?

Confidence is complex.

I know this personally from my experience in business and competitive sports.

It depends heavily on context and can shift accordingly.

We have it “under our belt,” so to speak, and tend to rely on what we’ve learned from our experiences.

Speaking of experience, it often comes with mileage (read: years/age). But many of our program participants are at the front end of their professional careers, without that traditional stretch of time that confidence-building may require.

Where Does Confidence Come From?

Well, as it turns out, confidence can come from many sources. And in the case of our recent participants (two in particular), they found confidence in themselves.

Two Sources of Confidence

Intrinsically, they felt their confidence grow from a developing a deeper understanding of who they are and defining what’s important to them. They gave themselves “white space” to think when they envisioned a future they want to create based on who they are and what’s important to them.

Both inside and outside of work. As a “whole” person.

The impact of that understanding proved monumental; the confidence they gained on a personal level about themselves appeared to neutralize the perceived lack of confidence from limited experience.

This goes to show that confidence can come in many forms.

And in a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world filled with rapid and continuous change, what could be more effective than developing confidence in ourselves?

Ready to level up your confidence?

Learn more about the Foundation for Effective Leadership program.