Several years ago, I had a confident leader that was very successful and very smart. He had done very well in business and was well respected. Because of his success he was wealthy and had every right to be arrogant, but he was not. He was what I call the confident leader. As a confident leader, he was very aware of his own strengths and weaknesses. He also knew what was in his control and what was not. There is a big difference between the confident leader and the arrogant leader.
The Arrogant Leader
The arrogant leader is the leader that tells you to do something and then the minute outside criticism occurs, it is suddenly your idea and you get the blame. Arrogant leaders don’t stand up for those they lead if there is even a chance it will make them look bad. They don’t understand that those people that they lead are their biggest asset. The arrogant leaders are always in it for themselves and only have their own interest in mind. This type of an attitude almost always leads to failure. Leaders that take this approach lack confidence in themselves and their leadership ability, and they lack the respect of those they lead.
The Confident Leader
The confident leader, on the other hand, is confident in what he knows and the people around him. He also fully understands that he doesn’t know everything and must depend on those he leads for success.
The confident leader also has a good relationship with those he leads, so there is an open line of communication. He is always informed about what is going on in his department which allows him to trust his followers. While he knows his followers and their abilities, he also knows and understands the weaknesses and limitations of the group. Confident leaders always do what they can to put their people first and stand up for them. The confident leader has a lot of trust in his/her people, but it is not blind trust because it is a trust that is built on honesty and integrity.
What does it mean to you to be the confident leader? Have you worked with a confident leader before? What impact did he/she have on you as a follower? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Great blog, did you use wordpress or blogengine? I made few blogs myself 🙂 It takes time but it is worth it!
Welcome Maria! Thank you for the compliment! Blogging is definitely a challenge in the beginning, but it is totally worth it. Just keep on blogging!
If Leader having confidence & also trust in subordinate will produce better result for organisation. It is long term process.
Sanjayrakecha,
I completely agree with you. Having confidence in those you lead enough to develop and trust them will be very beneficial in the long run. It will strengthen your organization and improve the overall culture.
Share the credit, take the blame, praise in public, punish in private…positive examples are almost always more productive than negative ones. Everyone makes mistakes, so the trick is to learn from them and share the experience with others in a positive way.
I have worked with several confident leaders, and would like to consider myself one as well. The common elements have always been “confidence” and “self-awareness.” Taking pride in your work is fine, as long as you realize that even when you accomplish something alone, you used the skills and talents that were grown by others who mentored you, taught you, or encouraged you. When Einstein said he stood on the shoulders of giants, he was publically recognizing that his contributions would not have been possible if not for the contributions of others before him…some leaders could take a page from that book.
Kevin,
I really like your comment. The type of leader is definitely someone that I would want to work with or for because they would have a deep appreciation for what I try to bring to the table. That being said, I think that as a leader it is really important to do all you can to emulate those qualities.
You also mentioned that we owe a lot to those that have gone before us and I couldn’t agree more. A large portion of what I know about leadership, I have learned from a previous leader or book. They have had such a great impact on me and the type of leader I am today.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts!