One of the questions I have had to answer regarding leadership is this: What makes people follow a leader?
This question is mostly asked by young people who are just starting out in leadership and want to make a lasting impact with their leadership.
When I dig into why those questions are asked, I realise that some of these leaders started by having their friends and peers following them at the initial stages but soon enough, they lose their following, hence the question.
Leadership is not simply a charm. Even with your friends, it’s not friendliness and it’s certainly not because you share jokes and good moments together. Friendship is not synonymous to Leadership. Friendship is valuable, but friendship alone doesn’t earn you followership. People can like you deeply as a friend yet refuse to follow you as a leader. Why? Because the moment they sense you are incompetent to lead, they will quietly or sometimes openly distance themselves from your leadership.
Even if you are a good friend, with a beautiful character, at the heart of leadership are two intertwined qualities I have learnt: Confidence and Competence.
As leaders, we must understand that competence is more than words, manifesto or promises, it is the ability to say it, plan it, and do it in such a way that others know you know your business. It is showing that you can deliver results, handle challenges, and navigate uncertainties. When you consistently demonstrate competence, you inspire confidence both in yourself and in others. A competent leader naturally carries a confident presence, and that confidence reassures people that following you is a wise choice.
Over the years, I have realised that confidence and competence cannot be separated. A competent leader is naturally confident but confidence without competence is arrogance. Competence without confidence is hesitation. But when both exist in a leader, trust is built, and followership becomes voluntary and enthusiastic.
In a few points, how can you build Competence and Confidence as a Leader?
- Invest in Learning: From personal experience, one of the things that has helped me grow confident and competent is my desire to learn and improve. I continuously expand my knowledge. I always have something to read. As much as I read every day, I have books unread and I always keep a list of books to read.
Read, study, take courses, and learn from others who have gone ahead of you. The more you know, the better you perform and the better you perform, the more people follow your leadership. - Start with Small Wins: Delivering on your commitments, no matter how small is how you build trust. It is in small but consistent victories that we prove our reliability, which is required for people to follow your leadership. If you want people to follow your leadership, don’t just read, document ACTIONS you must take no matter how small, set small goals and achieve results. Those small wins compounds to make you worthy of following.
- Seek Feedback and Act on It: A core attribute of competent leaders is that they are teachable and open to correction. So, use feedback to close skill gaps and improve decision-making to become more competent and confident. It is why I advice that you surround yourself with people who have done what you want to do and are committed to your growth, so they are qualified to give you useful feedback to act on and continue growing.
- Prepare Thoroughly: Confidence is often born in preparation. Knowing you’ve done your home work gives you a level of confidence to stand firm when leading others. They say preparation prevents poor performance, so put the hours into preparation.
- Communicate Clearly: I also have learnt that competence and confidence is shown in how you communicate. Competence is not just what you can do but it’s also what people believe you can do. So take the initiative to speak; Share your plans, your reasoning, and your progress openly. Leaders must communicate. It is how they show they are competent and confident.
This week, think on these few thoughts. For If you desire to lead and keep sustaining people’s trust and followership, you need to master your craft, grow your skills, and execute with excellence. The more competent you become, the more confident you’ll stand and the more people will choose to follow.
Competence and confidence can be developed. Don’t aim to be an expert. Just start where you are today and stay consistent on the right track.