Confident and Humble

If you are going to succeed as a manager then you clearly need be seen to be confident and sure in your thoughts and actions (even if you do not feel super confident inside).

Your strength in tough times gives a crutch to your team when they need to know they are on the right path.

However, take caution in ensuring that your confidence does not become overbearing and turn into perceived arrogance.

One way to do this is by ensuring that you constantly challenge yourself to be humble.  Taking the word's definition from the Oxford Dictionary, "offered with or affected by a modest estimate of one's importance"

What a great way to lead.  The strength that the team looks for will simply come from your character rather than how you try and 'show' yourself to be.

I believe that confidence is demonstrating that you respect yourself and coupling this with a humble nature in which you respect others as equals is a powerful leadership combination.

Those that think they are important and act as such, seldom are.

Those that don't seem to be the more content, relaxed, self assured, interested and ultimately more genuine managers and leaders.

How do you want to portray yourself?

Please see my website at www.managingforthefirsttime.com for more techniques, tips and advice on this topic and others.

(Photo by Wonderlane via flickr used under a creative Commons Licence)