Confidence the Foundation of Leadership
Confidence or a belief in oneself is the foundation of leadership and accomplishing our goals. If we don’t believe that we can achieve a goal we probably won’t even try. We must take responsibility for leadership and begin with ourselves. We must first lead our own behavior before we can lead others.
From training dogs I have noticed two kinds of confidence. One type of confidence is developed from past successes. The second kind of confidence is part of the individual’s personality. We are each born with a certain natural tolerance for stress. Some individuals can work easily under stress and others cannot function when stress taxes their emotional and physical resources.
An individual’s natural inborn confidence level contributes to their success as a leader.
Confidence isn’t the only deciding factor in leadership.
Sometimes an individual’s purpose in life can shape their leadership skills enough that they rise to leadership. Our purpose is determined by what we are committed to. We each need to pay attention to what we’re committed to on a daily basis.
Once we are aware of our commitments we need to examine them to determine if those commitments are really right for our life and for what we stand for. After we understand our true purpose we need to make these core values the Significant Points of Reference that other decisions are based on.
One warning I need to make is that if our purpose in life is too narrowly defined we can begin a march down the path of evil and destruction. Those in positions of worldwide influence need to take a broad view of the future and try to see things that are far off as though they are close. We must take a world view of problems. If we only concentrate on our own gratification we will lead the world to destruction.
To take a broad view of the world requires flexibility. Often the conventional view is not the broad view. The conventional view is seldom a world view. To develop real solutions to the problems created by technology, climate change, and overpopulation will require large groups of humans changing their behavior. This change can only occur if politicians, governments, learning institutions, and individuals can be flexible in their cultural and personal rules. We must develop the skills to look past our individual preferences and see how taking a sustainable world view can meet our long term needs.
Wishing all the best in dogs and in life,
Andrew Ledford