Introduction
Confidence is one of the most important traits a leader can have. But it is about having the right confidence. Arrogant leaders believe they are better than others and have nothing more to learn whereas confident leaders are secure in themselves and are dedicated to serving their teams. Confidence inspires trust, inspires others to follow you and gives a positive impression that helps you achieve your goals. But how do you become confident as a leader?
Practice self-awareness
Self-awareness inspires greatness. You need to be open to receiving feedback and have an awareness of how you come across in order to lead effectively. Self-awareness is a skill that takes time and practice, but it can help you become more confident in your leadership role by increasing your understanding of:
- Your strengths and weaknesses
- What your team needs from you
- Your blind spots
- How to lead by example – if you are not leading by example then it’s hard for anyone else in the company to follow suit!
Focus on your team’s needs
- Listening to your team is the first step in becoming a confident leader. The more you know about your team and their needs, values and strengths, the better equipped you’ll be to help them leverage them. This will lead to increased productivity on board and better morale.
- Ask the crew how they feel about their job, what they want from it and whether there’s anything that can be done to make things better for them. A great time to do this would be during their performance review.
- Ensure you have a 2-way communication channel rather than following a top-down communication. (Given the hierarchical structure in yachting, the one-directional communication approach is quite common.)
- Facilitate a culture whereby crew are encouraged to voice their opinion and for their opinions to be heard and considered. This will help build trust between everyone on the team because they know they won’t get shut down or ignored when voicing an opinion that differs from yours (or anyone else’s). In addition, it promotes inclusivity and collaboration.
Empower others
When you empower others, you’re giving them the tools they need to succeed. You’re trusting them with responsibility and allowing them to make decisions on their own. You’re helping them develop as leaders by providing guidance and feedback when needed.
Empowerment is not just about letting go of control; it’s also about creating a culture where people feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes without fear of being reprimanded or punished for doing so.
Delegate tasks
Delegating tasks is a great way to give your crew opportunities to grow. If you don’t delegate, you will be stuck doing everything yourself and that can fast-track your way to burnout! It’s important to trust your team and give them the freedom to do their jobs; they will feel valued and trusted.
If they make mistakes or don’t do something exactly as you would have done it, don’t belittle or punish them for it. Rather, give your time and guidance to show them how you would prefer for it to be done. Treat it as an opportunity for growth.
Be authentic and transparent with your team
Being authentic and transparent with your team is a great way to build trust. As a leader, don’t be afraid to be vulnerable and share aspects of yourself that you normally keep hidden. This helps build rapport and trust. Ask your team for feedback, being open about what you don’t know allows others on your team to help fill in those gaps for you – and that’s something that will make them feel valued and respected. Remember, being a leader doesn’t mean you have to be perfect.
Conclusion
Leadership can be a difficult role to navigate, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking to become more confident as a leader, remember that confidence comes from within and is built on trust with others. As long as you know yourself well enough to understand what makes you tick -and how others might perceive this- you’ll be able to build strong relationships with those around you who will support your goals and ambitions at work. If you liked this article and want to learn how you can build your confidence as a Head of Department or Captain, then be sure to get on the waitlist for our Advance Leadership course with The Crew Coach. Details available here: https://thecrewcoach.com/superyacht-advanced-leadership/
