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Confidence is a key trait that leaders need to display in order to inspire trust and motivate their teams. However, projecting confidence is not always easy, and leaders can sometimes fall short in this area, with potentially negative consequences in the long run.
When team members start to perceive a lack of confidence in their leader, it can have a significant impact on both a leader’s effectiveness and the organization's overall performance. Here, 17 Forbes Coaches Council members share common ways leaders struggle to project confidence and explore potential negative consequences of not addressing these issues.
1. Lacking Clarity
Often, leaders are uncomfortable giving feedback; therefore, they may avoid being honest with their direct reports or the team as a whole. This creates confusion and often leads team members to feel unsure about what they are required to do or not do. The more direct and clear you can be as a leader, the more your team knows what is expected of them. - MJ Impastato, Mojo Coaching & Consulting
2. Not Asking Tough Questions
Leaders fail to project confidence when they avoid asking tough questions or looking at tough issues directly. Leaders who seek out diverse perspectives, ask big questions and listen to those willing to share challenges exude confidence and build trust. - Christine Andrukonis, Notion Consulting
3. Not Standing Up For What You Believe In
Leaders fail to project confidence when they are indecisive and choose to not surround themselves with other leaders and mentors who align with their beliefs, value people over profit and have made the decision to make a difference in the world. This results in others not knowing what you stand for or believe in. - Patty Farmer, Patty Farmer International
4. Not Being Transparent About Decision-Making Processes
Leaders fail to project confidence when they are not transparent about their decision-making processes. It is important to ask team members and key stakeholders for their opinions. When doing so, share how their input will be used and how and when the final decision will be made. Leaders can appear to be moved to a decision by “the last person” or the “loudest person.” Be clear about who, when and how. - Jill Helmer, Jill Helmer Consulting
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5. Projecting Too Much Warmth
Leaders can fail to project confidence when they don’t get the balance of strength and warmth right, as per Amy Cuddy’s research. In a situation where strength is required (competence, assertiveness), if the leader projects too much warmth (friendliness, empathy), they may be perceived as weak and indecisive. Getting the balance right is key to projecting confidence and fostering trust. - Gabriella Goddard, Brainsparker Global
6. Using The Wrong Tone Of Voice
One’s manner of speaking, from a pitch, tone and volume perspective, can be a leader’s downfall in projecting confidence. Varying these elements boost the quality of sounds experienced by those who are listening, and most people take cues from to react or interpret. This should be part of a wider communication skill set for leaders, but ultimately, it starts with your voice. - Arthi Rabikrisson, Prerna Advisory
7. Vacillating At Critical Moments
Nearly every pro service firm I’ve worked with has experienced a cash-flow crunch at some point. In these situations, leaders must make tough decisions. Someone in their firm will be disappointed, possibly even let go. Strong leaders don’t vacillate in these moments. They make the tough call, explain their reasoning and get on with it. If they don’t, the rest of the team will lose faith in them. - Randy Shattuck, The Shattuck Group
8. Undermining Smart Team Members
Leaders don’t project confidence when they undermine people on their team who know something they don’t. The best leaders surround themselves with people who complement them, not compliment them—people who broaden their perspective and make them better by respectfully challenging their ideas. If leaders always feel they are the smartest person in the room, then they’re in the wrong room. - Claire Chandler, Talent Boost
9. Seeking Too Much Input When Making Tough Calls
One way well-meaning leaders fail to project confidence is by hesitating to publicly acknowledge that they will make a final decision. They struggle to strike a balance between the need to seek input from their team and the need to make the ultimate call. In the long run, that undermines their ability to make tough calls when needed because teams may get conditioned to unrealistic expectations of consensus. - Precious Williams Owodunni, Mountaintop Consulting
10. Trying To Prove You Belong
Leaders fail to project confidence when they’re so caught up in trying to prove they belong versus acting as if they belong. Proving requires you to play a part that you think you need to play to win and influence others. It’s exhausting, and most people see through it. Acting as if you belong means you already believe in your voice and presence, and you’re not waiting for permission to share it. - Justin Patton, justinpatton.com
11. Not Communicating A Vision Or Strategy Clearly
Clarity of voice is so important to creating confidence in others. A leader who can’t clearly communicate a vision or strategy will fail to engage and motivate others to follow them. That then leads to confusion, ambiguity and a lack of alignment. A good test of clarity is: Would your mom understand it if you explained it to her? If not, simplify it. Use metaphors. Tell a story. - Liz Whitney, Cove
12. Being Overly Self-Critical
One way leaders can fail to project confidence is by being overly critical of themselves. When a leader focuses too much on their weaknesses or mistakes, it can create a sense of self-doubt and insecurity. This self-doubt can impact a leader’s ability to make decisions, communicate effectively and, ultimately, project confidence. Instead, lean into your strengths and lead with your values. - Anna Barnhill, Barnhill Group Consulting, Inc
13. Being Disrespectful Or Not Keeping Your Word
Leaders mostly fail to project confidence when they don’t respect their direct reports, don’t keep their word or change their minds without explanation. People want to do meaningful work with a sense of purpose, and it’s the leader’s job to ensure they can. Trust breaks the first time they don’t, and when it happens repeatedly, unpredictable difficulties can affect the company in the long run. Trust is extremely valuable. - Dominik Szot, MIA
14. Mismanaging Your Commitments To Yourself
How others perceive you is essential. Authentic confidence has a distinct presence that projects without you realizing it. Worry more about having true confidence. Confidence is your experience of the commitments you make and keep to yourself—the hard-won discipline of emotional management in tough situations. Mismanage this, and the negative consequence will be low trust. - Carry Metkowski, Carry Metkowski
15. Displaying Indecisiveness Or Inconsistency
One way leaders may fail to project confidence is by displaying indecisiveness or inconsistency in their actions and decision making. When a leader appears uncertain or hesitant, it can lead to confusion and doubt among their followers, which can erode trust and respect over time. - Lara Augusta, Embracing Potentiality
16. Struggling To Admit You Don’t Understand Something
It may sound counterintuitive, but in my experience, leaders fail to project confidence when they struggle to admit that they don’t understand something or haven’t already thought about something. In reality, being able to admit that you don’t understand or know everything in advance can be a powerful way to project your confidence as a leader. - Carol Geffner, CB Vision LLC.
17. Staying Silent In The Midst Of Chaos
Teams look to their leaders for guidance during times of uncertainty. Not speaking up—even if just to acknowledge that there are no answers yet for what everyone is currently facing—may cause leaders to be perceived as weak, incapable and someone to be avoided. Humans have a tendency to come up with stories in their head in the absence of facts. - Karan Rhodes, Shockingly Different Leadership (SDL)
