Believe to Achieve: The Essence of Self-Belief in High-Performance Leadership

Thank you for being a reader of this Unstoppable Force Blog. Please feel free to forward it to friends who you think might enjoy it too.

I’m Stew Darling. I convene Unstoppable Force to help us understand how we can transition to a positively unreasonable, high performing, world of service using leading thinking and practices.

The Challenge of the Killing House

Standing in the 'Killing house' without a weapon, you must Believe in Yourself.

"Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle." - Christian D. Larson

There I was, at the end of a long training day standing alone in the Killing House. My team were frustrated and bored with the number of evolutions the training team had put us through. We had been in the 'Killing House' for most of the afternoon. The point of the Killing House is to train operators to enter a room and be able to assess the situation and shoot any threats, it is used for Close Quarter battle training. High pressure stuff but, by now, my team were going through the motions. To change things up, I informed them that on the next evolution, I would be somewhere in the house and, preferably, I'd like to walk out, uninjured, when the training team called ENDEX! I had to believe in my team and have total belief in myself.

Building Confidence in Leadership

In the world of high-performance leadership, where challenges are formidable and expectations are high, self-belief stands as the cornerstone of success. It is the unwavering faith in our own abilities that propels us forward, enabling us to transcend limits and inspire greatness in others.

Innovating Through Self-Belief

Believing in ourselves, empowers leaders to embrace innovation with an open heart. When we are confident in our abilities, we are more inclined to take risks and explore uncharted territories. This audacity to venture beyond the known paves the way for groundbreaking solutions and visionary thinking. Consider the likes of Steve Jobs, whose unwavering self-belief allowed him to challenge conventions and revolutionize the world of technology. His confidence in his vision birthed products that have become integral parts of our daily lives. Through this, he demonstrated that when we believe in ourselves, we have the power to change the world.

Empowering Teams with Confidence

Leaders who believe in themselves possess the extraordinary ability to inspire and empower their team members. Their confidence becomes a beacon of hope and a source of motivation for those around them. When team members witness their leader's self-assurance, they are more inclined to believe in themselves as well. This reciprocal dynamic creates a positive feedback loop, wherein each individual's belief in their own capabilities is bolstered by the collective confidence of the team. In this environment, individuals are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, to take ownership of their roles, and to strive for excellence.

Resilience in Leadership

In the pursuit of high-performance leadership, setbacks are inevitable. It is during these moments of adversity that self-belief shines most brightly. Leaders who firmly believe in themselves possess the resilience to weather storms, to learn from failures, and to emerge stronger than before. Their unshakeable confidence in their abilities allows them to view setbacks not as insurmountable obstacles, but as valuable learning experiences. This attitude not only fortifies their own resolve but also serves as a guiding light for their team, demonstrating that even in the darkest of times, belief in oneself can illuminate the path to success.

The Concept of Evolution in Training

Evolution - a path to Self-belief; excerpt from Unstoppable: Living Beyond our Limits

The American Forces now use the term ‘evolution’ to describe the activity of drilling. The idea is that every time the exercise is practised, the student evolves into a higher version of themselves. If at first, you don’t succeed, try and try again.

Mastering Skills Through Repetition

In time, with practice, that ‘drill’, or evolution, becomes second nature. It becomes embedded in our subconscious so that, no matter the situation or level of fear or stress, we will still carry out that action perfectly. This is no different from the activity of learning to drive. Our instructor ‘drills’ us until we can safely control the vehicle. Only once we can prove we understand the basics can we move on to the next level—actually driving.

Progression in Weapon Handling

Weapon handling always requires a level of attention, rightly so, the dangerous end of a rifle can do lots of damage. Weapon stripping and cleaning drills, followed by dry-firing drills —where there are no bullets present—lead on to range firing. On exercise, blank rounds are used to allow soldiers to become comfortable with fire and manoeuvre drills. Every step is a building block for the next step ...