Real leaders have a mix of confidence, humility, and a sense of purpose. Self-confidence is not only a personal quality, but also an important skill for work. For instance, 93% of professionals say that confidence is important for success. Leaders who are confident can set clear goals, develop trust, and get teams excited. Transformational leaders, who are defined as “enthusiastic, genuine, and energetic,” help and motivate others to attain their greatest potential, according to study on leadership. In summary, showing conviction and empathy is the same thing as motivating others.

Good leaders create trust and a common goal. For instance, when a leader makes sure everyone feels comfortable and encourages open debate, the team’s devotion and creativity go through the roof. When teams are led this manner, members feel safe to share their ideas and recognize when they’ve made a mistake. This makes the group stronger and more productive. In practice, this means that the leader’s trust and confidence in others make them feel more confident, which starts a cycle of trust and motivation.

Accept a Growth Mindset and Being Real

Learning helps leaders grow. Have a growth mindset: see problems as chances to get better instead of threats. This involves taking risks that you can afford and seeing failures as chances to learn. One psychologist says, “Confidence grows when you step outside your comfort zone…see setbacks as chances to learn.” Be confident, but yet be humble. Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know anything and keep asking questions. Adam Grant calls this “confident humility.” A secure leader is “brave in admitting weaknesses” and believes in themselves while being open to fresh ideas. Last but not least, be an authentic leader. Be honest about your skills and weaknesses. Research suggests that being an authentic leader—being honest about who you are—builds trust and makes it safe for others to speak up. In summary, have faith in yourself, but also stay inquiring and true to your ideals. This mix of hope and honesty will help you establish real confidence.

Develop a Growth Mindset: See every problem as a chance to learn. For instance, pick a goal that pushes you and be open to learning from any mistakes that happen along the way.

Practice being humble and confident: let doubt drive you instead of stopping you. Leaders that are honest about not knowing something invite better ideas. Grant says, “Confidence without humility breeds blind arrogance…confidence with questioning leads to deeper learning.”

Be a real leader: Bring your real principles and passions to work. People follow leaders who are real. Accept your unique abilities (and even your problems); people trust and connect with leaders who exhibit their human side.

Build confidence via what you do and how you act.

You build confidence one step at a time. Your daily behaviors and experiences shape how you see yourself as a leader. Recognize minor triumphs first. When you finish a task or get good feedback, enjoy it. One leader said, “Celebrating small wins became a regular thing, which made me feel more confident.” I was guided by clear goals and a good attitude. Setting and reviewing specific goals is also helpful. Use a system like OKRs to set goals that are inspirational and can be measured. Your belief in yourself improves as you reach your goals.

Your emotional and physical health are important too. Get enough sleep, exercise, and manage your stress. A clear, energized mind makes it easier to stay calm under pressure. When you make a mistake, don’t dwell on it; instead, take responsibility and learn from it. Thinking about mistakes makes you less sure of yourself. Instead, think about how to fix them and what to do next. This ability to bounce back from setbacks builds confidence over time. You keep telling yourself, “I can handle this” by doing these things together: creating goals, thinking about them, taking care of yourself, and learning.

Think about your strengths and successes: Write down your successes in a journal or on a list. Remind yourself often of the hard things you did to get through. This proof of your skills gives you confidence when new problems come along.

Set and Track Goals: Use planning tools like OKRs or basic to-do lists to break down big goals into smaller, everyday chores. Every day, seeing progress (even modest) keeps the momentum going.

Get out of your comfort zone by doing something new, like taking on a stretch project or speaking out in a meeting. Every time you do something well (or learn something), it shows that you can handle harder things.

Keep learning by reading, taking classes, and trying new things. Leaders who promise to study for the rest of their lives improve their abilities and ability to adapt, which gives them more confidence that they can grow when they need to.

Put first Well-being: To deal with stress, stick to a schedule that includes exercise, meditation, and other activities. You can lead under pressure if your body and mind are healthy.

Accept Mistakes: When you make a mistake, take a deep breath and think about it. Think of mistakes as lessons or experiments, then change what you did and go on. This strength, not being faultless, is what makes you more confident over time.

Talk clearly and motivate other people

People can trust you more if you talk and listen well. Make eye contact, ask open-ended inquiries, and really listen to what individuals have to say. Tell team members that their opinions are important and encourage them to speak up. When it’s your moment to talk, be clear about what you want and what you see. To stress teamwork, use positive, inclusive language with a lot of “we” and “us.” Share your passion—if you sound excited and enthusiastic about a project, other people will pick up on it.

How you deal with feedback and praise is just as essential. Give public praise that is helpful and kind, and private critiques that are helpful and kind. Studies on transformational leadership reveal that leaders who do what they say and praise hard work help their followers believe in themselves. For instance, complimenting someone for a fantastic idea or publicly celebrating a team success shows that you believe in their abilities, which makes them want to do even better. Sharing stories or examples that show important lessons or the team’s vision can also help make the purpose clear. Finally, pay attention to your body language. Keep your posture open, your tone consistent, and your face welcoming. People pay attention to body language. A leader who seems calm and personable can make people trust them even before they say anything.

Pay attention: Promote honest conversation. For instance, you might convey that you’re interested by repeating what someone says. Asking for other points of view makes people feel heard and fosters trust between them.

Speak Clearly and with Passion: Make your point in a clear and confident way. Tell everyone what the overall picture is and how their part fits in. Studies show that teams work better when they have a real, excited tone instead than a monotone one.

Give Feedback and Recognition: Thank people for doing a good job right away and fix faults in a kind way. People feel more sure of themselves when others see and value their work. Give particular compliments, such “Your analysis really helped the team” instead of just “good job.”

Be open to everyone: Use “we” statements and value other points of view. Say things that show you trust others. For example, “I know you can do this” will make them feel more confident.

Use stories to make your point clear. People like Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs inspired others by showing them how things could be better. Using stories makes your message stick in people’s minds.

To show confidence, stand or sit up straight, look someone in the eye, and smile. These signs make you look more confident and make your followers more likely to trust your advice.

Set a good example and give your team the power to do their jobs

People pay greater attention to what you do than what you say. You may build your credibility by doing what you say. Transformational leadership theory stresses idealized influence, which means that leaders should act the way they want others to act. Show your colleagues that you work hard and with integrity if you want them to do the same. Keep your word and own up to your mistakes. A leader who trusts their team is very strong. Give people important assignments and let them make their own decisions. You show that you believe in someone’s potential when you let them make decisions and learn from their failures. Psychological research shows that leaders that create a secure space for their employees to be open and share their ideas encourage loyalty and new ideas.

Nelson Mandela is a famous example of a brilliant leader who empowered his team by putting others first. He stayed behind and allowed the “most nimble” run ahead. Winston Churchill’s calm manner during WWII also offered people hope; he “exuded confidence in victory,” which energized a country that was under attack. In each situation, empathy and strong principles showed that they were sure of themselves. You may do this in real life by always being honest (doing what you say), giving credit to others for their successes, and giving your team chances to shine.

Model the Behavior You Want: If innovation and accountability are valued, be inventive and own your activities publicly. Teams value it when a leader’s words and actions are the same.

Give Your Team Power: Let them help set goals and make plans for the team. Give them tasks and expect them to do a great job. When you show your team that you believe in them, it makes them feel more confident (this is called a self-reinforcing effect).

Be open and honest: Tell people why you make decisions. Don’t hide your doubts. When a leader says, “I trust your expertise” or “I don’t have all the answers,” it makes others feel secure to speak up.

Encourage growth by giving people training or hard assignments to work on. Express confidence (“I’m sure you can handle this challenge”) and be available as a coach. A supportive yet challenging leader unleashes others’ potential.

Celebrate the team’s success by making it a team event when they reach a goal. Give public praise for the work of both individuals and groups. This not only rewards hard work, but it also indicates that you value working together.

Leaders who are sure of themselves frequently have strengths that work well together. They are straightforward in their communication, stay calm throughout confrontations, and motivate their people with conviction. The infographic above, which is based on studies on leadership, shows what makes a leader self-assured, such as being an inspiring motivator, a trustworthy team builder, and a calm risk-taker. Setting a good example means showing these attributes all the time in your daily life. Then, your team members start to copy such traits, which boosts everyone’s confidence.

What we can learn from great leaders

There are countless instances in history and business. Winston Churchill galvanized Britain in WWII by accepting harsh truths and saying, “We shall never surrender!” His unshakeable faith gave people hope. Nelson Mandela spent decades in jail, but he was able to get through it by using forgiveness and bravery. He stated, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it.” His tale shows that real leaders don’t let fear get the best of them and encourage others to be strong. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that “confident humility” helped him deal with the COVID problem. He was honest about not knowing what to do and trusted his team to find answers.

It’s important to know that research reveals there isn’t just one “type” of inspiring leader. Bain & Company uncovered 33 traits that are associated to inspiration, but they also concluded that having just a few strong ones is adequate; any good mix will do. You don’t have to be great at everything all at once. Focus on building trust around your real strengths, whether they are listening, vision-casting, empathy, or decisiveness.

Important Points and Things You Can Do

Have a Growth Mindset: Remember that practice makes skills better. Think of failures as tests. One expert says that every setback is a chance to learn. To turn skepticism into learning fuel, keep asking yourself, “What can I learn?”

Make habits that you do every day, like organizing your day in the morning, working out every day, or keeping a notebook to reflect on your day. These practices help you feel less stressed and more like a disciplined leader. Small habits, like reading every day or keeping a gratitude book, build up over time to give you more confidence and credibility.

Talk and listen with empathy and clarity: practice active listening and clear speaking. Every time you speak, make sure to clearly explain your vision and try to tie it to what others do. When leaders really listen and speak with passion, they make others feel important and inspired.

Set an example: Do what you say you’ll do. Be on time, own up to your mistakes, and stay calm when things get tough. Teams are always watching you. If you stay calm and ready, everyone else will too. Your team will trust you and try to live up to that standard if you accept responsibility and act with integrity.

Give people authority and credit: Give your staff important jobs to do and trust their ideas. Say, “I believe you can handle this,” to encourage progress. No matter how big or small, celebrate every success. People feel more confident and involved when they get recognition, including public praise, minor awards, or team shout-outs.

Keep Learning and Adapting: Ask for comments and keep improving your skills. Self-awareness is a big part of leadership philosophy. Good leaders recognize what they’re good at and what they need to work on, and they do both. Every new skill or idea you learn will make you feel more capable.

You can become a leader that people look up to by using the correct mindset changes, daily routines, and communication abilities together. When you believe in your vision and your team, you spread that belief to others. If you keep using these strategies, you’ll inspire people not only with what you say, but also with how you act and what you believe.