When Expertise Stops Carrying the Weight
Early in your career, confidence often comes from knowing the answer.
You build credibility by being the expert - the one who can solve the problem, explain the details, or get things done fast.
Then, you step into leadership… and that strategy stops working.
Suddenly, people aren’t looking to you for answers. They’re looking to you for direction. And that can feel unsettling. You may hesitate to speak up, second-guess yourself in meetings, or wait for more certainty before taking a stance.
This is the quiet moment where many new leaders get stuck.
The Common Mistake: Waiting to Feel Confident First
New managers often believe confidence should come before action.
So, they:
Hold back until they’re completely sure
Stay silent in meetings, then replay what they should have said
Over-prepare to compensate for self-doubt
Let louder voices steer decisions
But confidence rarely arrives first. It’s built through practice, repetition, and follow-through.
The Shift: From Expert → Influencer
Leadership confidence isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about being willing to set direction with the information you have and adjust as you go.
Presence grows when you:
Take a position, even if it evolves
Speak to priorities instead of details
Stay calm when others feel uncertain
Reinforce direction consistently over time
People don’t need perfection.
They need someone willing to lead.
Practical Ways to Build Confidence Without Pretending
1. Think before you speak
Take a moment to anchor on the point you want to make.
Clarity beats speed every time.
2. Claim your seat
You don’t need to dominate the room, but you do need to participate.
Speaking once with intention builds more credibility than staying silent.
3. Normalize uncertainty
Saying “Here’s what I’m seeing so far and where I think we should go next” invites trust, not doubt.
4. Repeat what matters
Influence grows through consistency.
People follow leaders who reinforce priorities, not those who constantly change them.
5. Stay visible under pressure
Moments of stress are when presence matters most.
Calm leadership doesn’t eliminate uncertainty; it steadies it.
Why This Matters
As your role grows, your expertise becomes less visible, but your presence becomes more influential.
People take cues from how you show up:
Are you grounded or reactive?
Clear or hesitant?
Steady or scattered?
Confidence isn’t something you suddenly feel.
It ’s something you build by showing up - over and over, again and again.
👉 Next up in Part 10: Sustaining Energy and Resilience.
How to lead without burning out - and keep your effectiveness over the long run.
