Hey darlings! I wanna talk to you lovely readers about being a confident person. So, if you have followed my blog for long enough, you’ll know that I believe in shooting for the moon – because even if you miss you’ll land among the stars (yes that’s a quote from A Cinderella Movie lol).
So I get asked how I became confident and I was even asked to speak on the role of confidence in leadership at the Lead Conference in Bowen, amidst other amazing speakers like Presidential Aspirant Fela Durotoye and the amazing Dr. Ola Orekunrin (@NaijaFlyingDr) – it was such an honor to be on such a line up.
What I would have told the audience had I been able to attend is going to be itemized in this post:
1. Confidence is absolutely vital. In medical school exams, you could be saying the right answer, but if you don’t say it confidently, you won’t get the mark; because confidence is needed for patients and other people alike to trust you know what you’re saying/doing. It applies in every sphere. If you are sure about something – let it be visible and undebatable.
2. As a leader, your followers have to trust that you know where you are taking them to. And that is exuded in your confidence. So let’s say it’s a team meeting and you’re like “hey, maybe…if you don’t mind…we could possibly try things this way…I’m not sure though, just thinking” – that’s no way to instill confidence. You need to show that you have studied, prepared, you’re steps ahead – you’re the leader after all; they should be following your lead not hatching out the path alongside you. Confidence shows when you know what you’re saying and even when you’re unsure, you exude a confidence that says “I may not be sure now, but I will be soon”.
3. As the leader, you make the choices and changes. Confidence is definitely required to make you break status quo to get different, preferably better results. Believing that you are making the most informed decision is where confidence is needed – you’ve got to be able to give yourself a pep talk and get yourself pumped up – can’t be relying on someone else telling you how good you’re doing – that person might not always be available – you’ve got to be able to believe in yourself.
You’ve got to have confidence!
Quick ways to build confidence:
Practice speaking about anything in front of the mirror. Practice your posture, your gesticulation, your pace.
Practice presenting on anything in front of familiar people, friends, family etc
Volunteer to share information at school, work – in front of a less familiar crowd.
Eventually, speaking in public will lose its seeming impossibility. Take it a step at a time.
Till next time,
Dr. ETP Xo
