Confidence in Action: Building Leadership Through Bold Steps
This is the third and final blog in my series on confidence. In the first two, we unpacked what confidence really is and how it’s built through small steps. Now, we turn to the heart of the matter: building leadership through bold steps.
Because here’s the truth—confidence doesn’t come from waiting until you “feel ready.” It’s built by doing.
As Katty Kay and Claire Shipman put it in The Confidence Code: “Confidence is the reward for action, not the prerequisite.”
What Confident Leadership Looks Like
When we think about confidence, we often picture a leader we admire—someone who exudes strength and clarity, whether or not they hold a formal leadership title.
Because leadership isn’t about a title. It’s about how you show up and influence others.
Confident leaders:
Speak clearly and with purpose
Take initiative and make decisions
Own mistakes and feedback
Lift others up
Confidence in leadership doesn’t have to be loud. In fact, the most effective leaders are often steady, grounded, and courageous—balancing humility with decisive action.
Action Builds Confidence
To grow as leaders, we can’t sit back and wait for confidence to arrive. Confidence comes through action.
Speaking up in a meeting
Stepping into a management role
Articulating concerns to your boss
Navigating political dynamics at work
Adding your voice to a group conversation
Tackling a difficult conversation
Reaching out to someone to network
Too often, we think: Once I feel confident, then I’ll act.
But the opposite is true.
Your brain learns through feedback: you take a risk, survive it, and gain confidence from the experience. Each step rewires your self-perception. You don’t just think of yourself as someone who can do hard things—you know it, because you’ve lived it.
Risk Is the Path to Growth
Confidence is built in the stretch zone, not the comfort zone.
Confident people aren’t confident all the time—they still feel fear, doubt, and discomfort. The difference is they keep moving forward. That ability to tolerate discomfort is one of the greatest leadership superpowers.
Every risk you take—leading a project, presenting to senior leadership, or voicing an unpopular perspective—teaches your brain: I can handle this.
So instead of asking, “How do I get rid of fear?” try asking, “How can I move forward with it?”
The Role of Rejection and Resilience
One of the biggest reasons we avoid risk is fear of rejection.
But rejection doesn’t mean failure. It’s data, redirection, and practice. While it stings (our brains actually process rejection like physical pain), it’s not a verdict on your worth. Each “no” is feedback that helps you refine, redirect, and ultimately grow stronger.
The most confident leaders will tell you: failure is part of the job. Even they wobble. The difference is, they bounce back.
Resilience is the steadying force that keeps you moving after setbacks. It’s asking yourself: What helps me recover when things don’t go as planned?
Confidence and resilience work together—one is built through action, the other keeps you grounded when it slips.
Your Bold Move
So let me leave you with this: What’s one risk, stretch, or bold move that would move your leadership forward?
Think of it as an experiment, not a test. Anchor yourself in your strengths. Remember your past wins. Focus on purpose, not perfection. And don’t go it alone—seek out support and encouragement.
Confidence isn’t the absence of doubt. It’s the decision to move forward anyway.