Good Leaders Act Confident

Do you act confident even though you’re not sure of the outcome?

Do you inspire your team to follow you to the end against all odds?

In his new book Good Boss, Bad Boss:How to Be the Best..and Learn From the Worst Robert Sutton encourages you- the leader-to act confident and act like you know what you’re doing. He also says that faking it until you make it can trigger a self fulfilling prophecy.

That’s exactly how Winston Churchill acted when England was faced with a potential invasion from Nazi Germany. England was all alone in Europe against Hitler’s forces. France had just been defeated. The US was not involved in the war yet. It was a perilous situation to say the least. Some of his countrymen were ready to negotiate-to give up to the monstrous Hitler.

Rather, Churchill took the plunge, despite all the odds and gave his historic speech We will fight on the beaches. He starts the first sentence with the word confidence.

I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once more able to defend our island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do.

In another part of the speech he adds these famous lines:

we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be

I believe that deep inside, Churchill must have felt some doubt about England’s ability to continue to fight such a formidable enemy on its own. Regardless, he demonstrated extraordinary leadership with his powerful speeches and his confident demeanor.

You know how the story ends….

Do you have the courage to act confident even when you face a challenge that is against all odds?

Photo Credits by Gerriet

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