Here's how you can build the confidence to lead and inspire your engineering team.

1 Take time for introspection to understand strength, weakness values and goals. Reflect on past experiences, success and challenges to gain insights 2 Be true to ourself and unique leadership style, authentically build trust and credibility in team 3 Clarify on leadership values and principles 4 Recognize that no leader is perfect in the world, it is okay to have area of improvement and work on them as opportunity for growth 5 Set clear goals and objectives what we want to achieve 6 Seek feedback from team, mentors and supervisors, listen to their perspective on leadership style, strength and area of development 7 Commit to lifelong learning and professional development by getting updated on leadership best practices, technical advancement

Self awareness is a central piece in leadership. Understanding your strengths and weaknesses will let you act better. As a leader, how you're perceived makes a lot of difference. In a leadership course from HBS, they talk about the importance of being aware of what you say. It has more impact than you'd think. This will also help you be confident about your strengths and vulnerable around your weaknesses. Be trustworthy and reliable.

Understanding oneself is the cornerstone of leadership confidence. Here's how knowing your strengths and areas for growth can inspire your team: - Assess Strengths and Weaknesses: Reflect on technical proficiency, project management, and interpersonal skills. - Leverage Strengths: Utilize areas of expertise effectively to lead by example. - Seek Development: Identify areas for improvement and actively pursue growth opportunities. - Set an Example: Demonstrating self-awareness sets a precedent for continuous improvement within the team. By knowing yourself, you pave the way for a confident and inspiring leadership journey.

It is important to know who you are and know your weak spots. Ideally, you should be open to sharing those with your team so they can help you. Hire people who have skills that you don't, to bring diversity of thought and solve problems you could solve alone. Being honest and listening will build trust amongst your team and foster open communication to help everyone win.

Whether it's mastering a new skill, keeping up with industry trends, or expanding your knowledge base, continuous learning keeps your mind sharp and opens doors to new opportunities. So, commit to learning something new every day, whether big or small and watch how it enriches your personal and professional growth.

Find personal goals in your life, and grow your confidence by consistently hitting them. For example, I spend my spare time working on personal projects like a website, newsletter, podcast, and I set myself goals for these that can be achieved with some effort alongside a full-time job. I feel that having these personal goals paves the way for growth, and I develop confidence that then carries over to my team leadership and management work.

One of the better ways to go about setting goals is to organize a strategic planning session where you and your team set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. Clearly define each member's role in achieving these goals to provide direction and motivation.

Define clear, achievable goals for yourself and your team. Knowing what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there can boost your confidence.

Having a regular team meetings and one-on-one check-ins really works wonder. Create an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their challenges and successes. Use these insights to adjust project timelines or resources needed.

When someone is speaking, give them your full attention, maintain eye contact, and refrain from interrupting. Show that you're engaged by nodding or providing verbal cues like "I see" or "Go on." Once they've finished speaking, summarize what you've heard to ensure clarity and ask clarifying questions if needed.

Sharing personal stories of your own failures and how they led to later successes gives a lot of perspective to the team. Establish a monthly review where failures are discussed constructively, focusing on the learning aspect. A retrospective after every sprint, is a must.

Embrace failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. A confident leader is not afraid to take risks and learn from mistakes. Learn from the mistakes is more worth when compared to learn from the masters.

Emphasize that failure is not the end but rather a stepping stone towards success. Encourage them to analyze failures objectively, identify lessons learned, and apply those insights to future endeavors.

It begins with embracing challenges head-on. When I was leading a project, I dove into the toughest tasks first, demonstrating my willingness to tackle difficult problems alongside my team. By consistently delivering high-quality work and openly sharing my knowledge and experiences, I fostered an environment of trust and respect. This approach empowered my team members to take ownership of their tasks and inspired them to strive for excellence, ultimately boosting their confidence in their abilities.

Demonstrate your commitment to the team’s goals by being actively involved in all stages of the project. Show enthusiasm and dedication, staying positive even under pressure, which will inspire your team to mirror these attitudes. Getting your hands dirty during tight deadlines earns you significant respect from the team.

Demonstrate the behavior you want to see in your team. Your actions speak louder than words and can inspire confidence in your leadership.

I have found that providing clarity of career choices ahead, and of any lateral opportunities, that your team members aspire toward and then having the aspiration complemented by a solid development plan really works well to build the confidence and inspires the team. On more operational side of things, do have a longer runway of learning opportunities through Learning Programs within your org and revisit it often to suggest members suitable Learning Paths that matches their aspiration and your organization goals, and also update basis feedback.

Continuously invest time on developing your leadership and technical skills. This could include taking courses, attending workshops, or seeking mentorship.

In my opinion, promoting collaboration is very crucial since it can: 1. Dismantle organizational silos and promote cross-functional teamwork. 2. It will guarantee that the team understands the goals together. 3. Promoting creativity 4. Promote quick decision-making 5. Foster Confidence and Constant Enhancements In conclusion, its basis for Agile and Lean success is not just crucial.

Leadership is about knowing your team and leading from a place of empathy. By mastering this skill, you can inspire and motivate your team to succeed. As a leader, it's important to step in and provide support where needed and show your team that you care. By doing so, you can build a strong relationship with your team members, which will help them trust and follow you on your journey. When you inspire others and support them in their growth, you leave a mark on their hearts that lasts a lifetime. As an inspiring leader, you can show your team the way to success and motivate them through even the toughest of times.

Giving the best advice means nothing if you don't follow it yourself. Don't recite leadership and management quotes while your actions betray the opposite. And try to space out your Simon Sinek quotes to at least once a week.