The Surprising Key to Leading Change: Balancing Confidence and Humility

Leaders are often expected to be confident and decisive in their actions. However, when it comes to leading change, finding the right balance between confidence and humility can be the difference between success and failure. Taking a look back at a personal story from my career, let’s explore the importance of balancing humility and confidence while leading change. I also share five actionable steps every leader should consider when faced with a tough challenge.

How it started…

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to leave a prominent leadership role in a Fortune 100 company to join an 85-year-old small business that was beginning a turnaround journey. The company had been operating at a loss for almost a decade, and it was clear that we needed a?new growth strategy?and an injection of energy to get everyone excited about the future of the company.

As the newly appointed CTO, my CEO and I started our tenure with unbridled optimism and acted as massive cheerleaders to everyone in the organization. We attacked every headwind with confidence and projected an air of positivity. Initially, our approach worked, and we saw positive momentum. However, after a year, we were still struggling to maintain profitability and were getting dangerously close to insolvency.

It was at this moment that we realized we needed to augment our confidence with a good dose of humility. We couldn’t keep carrying this burden on our own. We needed everyone in the organization to internalize our situation to help pull the company through the tough times ahead. We called an all-hands meeting and opened up to the entire company about just how dire our situation was.

Our transparency came as a shock to some, mainly because we had projected so much confidence and optimism up until that point. However, we made it clear that we were struggling, and there were going to be tough times ahead. We shared why we thought the struggle was going to be worth it in the end and how we saw positive signs of growth already happening. Some opted out due to the risks, but most of our team decided to stay and grind it out with us. Looking back, it is clear to me that this moment was a critical turning point in our journey.

So, what can other leaders learn from my experience?

Finding the right balance between confidence and humility is critical to leading change. Here are five actionable steps to help you find that balance:

1. Know your limits:

As a leader, it’s essential to know your limits when driving change. It’s a common trap for leaders to believe they can do everything and try to take on too much, which can lead to burnout, mistakes, and ultimately failure. To avoid this, recognize your limitations and seek help when needed.

Knowing your limits means understanding your strengths and weaknesses and how they fit into the broader goals of the change initiative. It requires an honest assessment of your skills, experience, and resources, and a willingness to acknowledge areas where you may need support.

Additionally, knowing your limits means setting realistic goals and timelines for the change initiative. It’s important to be ambitious, but also pragmatic.

Ultimately, knowing your limits is about being a strategic and effective leader. It means recognizing that success depends not only on your individual abilities but also on the strengths of your team and the resources available to you.

2. Be transparent:

Transparency is a crucial component of effective leadership during times of change. It means being open and honest with your team about the opportunities AND CHALLENGES that lie ahead. It also means being willing to share both the successes and failures that occur along the way. WHEN WE are transparent, it helps to build trust among our teams, which is essential for?collaboration and innovation.

However, being transparent can be challenging, especially when there are setbacks or failures to report. It can be tempting to downplay or hide the challenges, but doing so can erode trust and confidence among your team. Instead, we must be willing to own up to our mistakes and share the lessons we have learned. This can help to foster a culture of transparency and open communication, where everyone feels comfortable sharing their own challenges and successes.

3. Build a diverse team:

At its core, diversity is about the unique experiences and perspectives that each individual brings to the table. As business leaders, it’s important to create an environment where everyone can bring their “full self” to work each day. This means building a team that is diverse in terms of their backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets.

Having a diverse team can help avoid groupthink because each person brings a different perspective to the table. This can help challenge assumptions and encourage creative problem-solving. By building a diverse team and fostering an inclusive culture (see Step 4), we will create a stronger, more resilient organization.

4. Listen to feedback:

As a leader, it’s important that we create an environment where our teams feel comfortable sharing their concerns and ideas. Encourage feedback by holding regular check-ins with your team. During these meetings, ask open-ended questions and actively listen to the responses. Avoid interrupting or dismissing feedback, even if it’s difficult to hear. Instead, take the time to fully understand the perspective of the person providing feedback, and thank them for sharing their thoughts.

It’s also important to take action based on the feedback you receive. If someone on your team shares concerns about a particular process or procedure, take steps to address those concerns. If they suggest a new idea, consider it seriously and involve them in the implementation process. By taking action on feedback, you demonstrate that you are committed to creating a culture of?continuous improvement?and growth.

5. Lead by example:

To truly create a culture that can tackle change head on, we must lead by example. This means setting the tone for the rest of the team by embracing humility and acknowledging mistakes. When we are open about our own limitations and fallibilities, it encourages our teams to do the same.

One of the best ways for leaders to lead by example is by admitting when we do not know something. Many leaders feel the need to project an image of always having the answers, but this can actually undermine the trust with our teams. Seeking out input and advice from our teams shows that we value the knowledge and expertise they bring and that we are willing to collaborate to find the best solutions.

How it ended…

After we had our moment of humility and transparency, we noticed a marked change in our team's motivation and engagement. We still faced many tough times, but we did it together… all pushing for a common goal. It took us another two years, but ultimately, we were able to successfully turn the company around and attracted investors to buy the growing business. By balancing our confidence with humility, we were able to inspire our team and achieve our goals. Leaders who can find this balance will be well-equipped to navigate the challenges of leading change in today’s ever-evolving business landscape.

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Hi, I’m Tommy. I moved around a lot as a kid, and I think it had a lasting impact on me… I don’t get too attached to things, because I never knew when we were going to move again. Today, I’m extremely comfortable with change and am usually the one challenging why we still “do it this way.” I live with a self-imposed pressure to assimilate quickly, because it is never fun being the “new kid.” Today, I’m good at hitting the ground running with each new challenge. And I am very observant of my environment, because I needed to find out who the cool kids were and who to avoid. Today, I’m able to connect dots others miss and skillfully use influence to lead my teams and organizations.