How to build confidence in your leadership: 7 key practices  

Seven key practices you should apply systematically

1. Pace yourself

Those new to leadership – particularly CEOs – often feel the pressure to deliver quick wins: they try to hit the ground running, launching initiatives and pursuing multiple objectives without having secured the necessary support. This approach often backfires because you’re running a marathon, not a sprint – which requires patience, endurance, and a sustainable long-term strategy. Pacing yourself allows you to steady your efforts – and helps others develop faith in your leadership.

2. Pick your “battles”

Launch a few well-structured initiatives designed to help you gain momentum and signal the direction you plan to take. This allows you not only to demonstrate to others how and where you’ll be focusing your energies but allows you to develop a track record that gets others on your side.

3. Identify and align your team

Without a cohesive team and agreed-on objectives, it’s very difficult to gain support for your plans. Identify the key team members, peers, and other stakeholders to prioritize, choose a few of their most critical demands, and address them well.

4. Build trust

Earning the confidence of everyone around you is key. One effective approach is to run regular “ask-me-anything” sessions with your team and discover what people are thinking to establish where the focus needs adjusting. This will help you learn what your employees are concerned about and make them feel heard, helping engender trust.

5. Communicate clearly (and relentlessly!)

Communication is critical to building confidence in you. Regardless of whom you’re addressing, or the setting, tell people what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you’ve just told them. You’ll get tired of this process – but remember, much of what you’ll be saying may be new to your audience and may only start to sink in after many repetitions.

6. Repeatedly signal progress

Signal progress repeatedly in all your communications. Remind people where you started, where you are, and where you’re going. To help them recognize advances, break the journey into smaller parts with easily measurable objectives.

7. Better yourself

A common mistake made by those new to leadership is to neglect their own learning. Continued investment in your own abilities will help you gain the confidence of those around you and help build your self-confidence.