The Power of Collective Confidence

Discover the power of collective confidence in building a culture of success. Learn 5 effective ways to enhance emotional well-being for a thriving future.

We all understand how negative experiences impact our psychological well-being and the crushing effects they can have on our confidence. Mine was being called a “misfit.” I had been with my organisation for some time and built a successful track record. During that time, I worked with many bosses and always took something positive away from each opportunity. 

I felt I was growing, fulfilled, and making a positive impact until one restructuring meant we had a new divisional head who was a potential successor to our eventual CEO. Being part of a division, intended to drive a transformational strategic capability where the investment flowed, should have signalled a terrific opportunity for me. Except it didn’t. 

It was quite the opposite. I’m still unsure if the subsequent events resulted from the alpha female ego, but it quickly became toxic. Here’s not the place to go into the nitty gritty, but I remember well the impact it had on me.  

Like many things in life, experiences are either lessons or blessings. For me, the lesson was about the extraordinary value of confidence. It is vital to us all personally, but it is also essential to build collective confidence capable of powering transformation to deal with our rapidly changing work landscape. 

While my role focused on helping others strengthen themselves and their organisations’ ability to be successful and relevant, the attributes of confidence were perhaps less explicit in my work. And so I experienced first-hand how potentially damaging the erosion of confidence is if left unchecked and how it negatively infects workplace cultures. 

In our fast-paced world, it’s more crucial than ever that businesses encourage and adequately support a collaborative environment and stimulate a growth mindset where experimentation and innovation can thrive. So, what helps build a culture where confidence is stimulated and nurtured? 

Here are five attributes of collective confidence that I’ve witnessed influential leaders accomplish. 

1. Trust and Openness: There is a high level of trust among team members, and individuals feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, ideas, and concerns openly.
2. Collaboration and Co-operation: There is a strong emphasis on teamwork and cooperation, with people willingly working together to achieve common goals. Collaboration is valued, and individuals are willing to support and help one another.
3. Resilience and Adaptability: Collective confidence encompasses a sense of resilience and adaptability. The organisation and its teams can adapt to changes and handle challenges effectively, believing in their ability to overcome obstacles and navigate uncertainty.
4. Constructive Feedback and Growth Mindset: A culture of continuous learning and improvement prevails, where constructive feedback is encouraged and viewed as an opportunity for growth. Individuals and teams are open to receiving feedback and viewing it as a means to enhance performance.
5. Empowerment and Autonomy: Leaders and teams are empowered to make decisions and take ownership of their work. They are given the autonomy to explore new ideas, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the organisation’s success.

There are more. However, these five characteristics commonly contribute to collective confidence, where individuals feel supported, motivated, and assured in consciously raising their competencies and organisational capabilities. While collective confidence alone cannot guarantee business success, it is an important factor that can positively influence team dynamics, performance, and overall organisational outcomes.

By creating an environment of trust, collaboration, recognition, and personal growth, CEOs and leaders can cultivate a culture of confidence that fuels team performance and drives business success.

As it’s turned out, for me personally, I turned my lesson into a blessing. I’ve learned that ego is fragile and easily shattered, while confidence withstands challenges. Now running my own business, which, at its core, is about helping increase personal power and business confidence, I have never felt more fulfilled!

Susan De Fazio

Founder of Be Future Ready and Creator of affordable and easy membership access to influencial online learning that combines leading practices, videos thinking tools and quizzes that enmpower the ‘how’!