Have you ever had one of those dreams (nightmares!) where you show up for class only to discover there is a test that day that you either did not know about or completely forgot? Fear and panic set in as you realize you are far from prepared. What you need most at this moment, besides a wake-up call, is sorely missing. That’s the funny thing about confidence, we usually only notice it when it is not there. What is confidence and how can you have more of it?
Confidence is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a feeling or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances”. This definition is further expounded upon by stating that this confidence exists without any hint of conceit or arrogance.
The root word in confidence is fid, a Latin word meaning faith. “Con” means with, so confidence literally translated is “with faith”.
When do we most often notice that our confidence has exited stage left? As might be expected our confidence can be missing in action when entering into a new situation. We do not yet have “faith” that we can perform and succeed. However, confidence also goes missing when we go into a familiar situation unprepared. So if confidence is often missing when we need it most, for new situations and familiar ones, how do we ensure that we have it? Preparation!
For the prospective client meeting, this means we have done our research on the client and explored the information we do have about them before walking into the meeting. So how do you handle the unfamiliar situation?
Recently I conducted a workshop on strengths-based leadership with a management team of 14 individuals I had never met before. With a short time line to the workshop and a full calendar of other commitments, I would be going into an unfamiliar conference room to kick-off a series of workshops with a team I had never met before. All the rules for a successful presentation were being violated; at least I was aware of that. How can you overcome challenges such as this and create a successful event for the client? Preparation.
I took every bit of information I had received about the group and reviewed it. The group’s organizer is a great communicator, and although we had not met in person, through email and telephone calls she had shared a great deal of insight with me. This was all helpful but the biggest confidence booster in this unfamiliar situation was the knowledge that I had a great grasp on the topic and how to deliver it.
Knowing your stuff, becoming a subject matter expert, mastering your craft all lead to increased confidence and confidence in unfamiliar environments. No one can give you confidence. It is a gift you give yourself by investing time, energy, resources and your passion into knowing and doing with faith. What do you need to do to master your craft and increase your confidence?