In reflecting on the last 90 days, I realize I’ve learned a solid leadership lesson this summer:
The difference between faith … and confidence
The two words are not inherently synonymous, so let’s play around with an operational definition for a minute.
Faith ≈ Trust or belief not based on proof
Confidence ≈ Certainty in the truth of something
In confidence we possess full trust, assurance and conviction. In faith we may wrestle with the uncertainty of hope or desire and our ambitions, aspirations or intentions for future outcomes. On one hand, we often want … on the other, we know.
In my personal example, I made the jump from faith to confidence – and in the process realized it is a necessary transition for anyone to move to full self-actualization. I’d like to tell you about it.
I recently facilitated a 4-hour program kick off for a client’s global HR group meeting. The theme had to do with generating personal power – how to earn trust, respect and rapport with those you need to influence. The new catalyst here, for their learning and my own leap of faith, was the integration of music into a speaking engagement. By this, I mean I played the guitar, sang songs and applied musical concepts to the journey of effective living and leading.
In short, it killed (and that’s a good thing). A few unsolicited email comments afterwards included:
“Don, the book is great! I read it on the way to the airport, at the airport and on my flight back home …”
“My favorite truths … A picture may paint a thousand words but a piece of music can evoke a million memories (sorry for becoming so emotional during your performances) … and, we don’t have to do it all – that is why we have others”
“I just wanted to say thank you for the workshop, I actually cried listening to Avicii’s Wake Me Up” the other evening. I am now actually listening to songs and their words … stopping to take the moment”
“I thank you, not only for the training but for helping me to find music again!”
It killed! I’ve been speaking, coaching and writing on leadership for over 30 years, and I’ve long been confident in doing so. Adding in music as a catalyst and concept for audience engagement is a recent addition over the last couple of years since I wrote Simple Truths in Music and Life in late 2016. Until this summer I had complete faith in the viability of including these simple truths and musical performance in my speaking. Now I am fully confident in its power.
This global HR group event was not my first performance. This particular performance however provided the proof I must have needed to make the leap of faith … the leap from faith to confidence. This is no longer a goal, an aspiration or intention. To me it is now real. I now know it is worthy of complete trust.
The simple truth here? All of us need some proof once in a while. We may not know what form that proof will take – and we may not even know that we need it. Your people too may have faith in their capabilities, but won’t always have equivalent confidence. How easy and how common is it for us to have confidence in someone else … but only faith in ourselves? How many times do we as leaders discount another’s uncertainty by saying, “Oh, you’ve got this … don’t worry about it!” We have confidence in their potential, while they might still be betting on faith alone.
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As a practicing leader and coach, we can do more. Let’s do something different – let’s live and lead with intention. We can’t help but get better:
- Inventory the people around you – who do you see that you have total confidence in, but that may be operating on just faith? Listen to their words and how they say them. Do they express certainty or hope, conviction or desire?
- Make the 1st move – start a conversation or suggest a next step with that someone. Don’t dismiss their insecurities. Work to help them find the proof of their own competence, in whatever form it takes for them to believe.
Help your people make a “leap of faith”. It might help you make one of your own, and be sure to thank those who unknowingly make it possible for you take a leap. I do so right now to this summer’s HR conference attendees – you know who you are – I thank you and I appreciate you.
If you are interested in learning more about my book, Simple Truths in Music & Life, you can order your copy by clicking HERE
-Don Brown
don@donbrown.org
Don Brown dedicates his career to ‘helping people with people’ in leadership, sales and customer service. Bilingual and experienced at the executive and line-level alike, you see the results of his work across dozens of industries, including brewing, automotive, airline, banking and medical equipment.
Speaking, writing, coaching and selling to the best – Ford Motor Company, Anheuser-Busch, United Airlines, Harley-Davidson, Jaguar Cars, Hilton Hotels and many, many more – Don takes great pride in long-standing customer relationships (some running well over twenty years).
