Confidence Imposter
By Nancy A. Hughes
Is confidence imposter an actual term? No, I just made it up. I can't think of a better way to describe how I have presented myself OR how people have seen me...a person with a lot of confidence. I was an imposter, projecting a version of myself I did not fully believe in. This self-perception held me back, causing me to either let opportunities pass me by or did not fully capitalize on the ones I had created for myself through hard work, perseverance, and a positive attitude.
As I became more self-aware, I began to notice my behaviors and responses to situations. This began a transformation within me. I am still evolving, learning more about myself each day. It has been a challenging path, but with hard work, hard knocks, and even failures, but with time, I learned to let go of the belief I was not good enough, and surrounded myself with people who uplifted me up, rather than tear me down, and it made a difference.
My confidence grows daily because I trust in myself and my abilities, and it all began with being comfortable with myself. I am still a work in progress, comfortable with being imperfectly perfect the way I am. I work on being the best I can be every single day. That is all I can ask of myself.
I share my story because you may know someone who just needs someone to believe in them, so they can begin to feel comfortable with themselves. It makes all the difference in the world.
DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE
Developing confidence takes time, and as just witnessed, it can be done. Coach Hughes and I spent a lot of time discussing confidence and how to develop it in individuals. This is not science-based, but steps Coach Hughes came up with that we think individuals can benefit from:
Coach your team members in a way that helps them feel comfortable. Feeling comfortable with a task is having a familiarity with its parts and processes. (TIP: LEARNING STYLE QUIZ, positive affirmations, recognizing the strengths).
When individuals feel comfortable, they feel more capable. They can do the task. Nurture and encourage your team members, through positive affirmations, independence, and delegation.
Once capable, begin to teach competence. When someone is competent, not only can do the task, but they also have knowledge and skills related to it. They can accomplish the job more efficiently and effectively (Think speed and accuracy).
When we are capable and competent, our confidence in our abilities and in ourselves grows- so much so, that we can teach others the task. When we are confident, we trust in our abilities. We become the COACH!
