This month, we’ve been exploring Leading Well After Layoffs: how to rebuild trust with the people who stay, how to hold a team together when the workload grows but the headcount shrinks, and how to find your own footing while everyone looks to you for steadiness.
While that conversation continues, I want to open the door on what’s coming next.
In October, we’re turning to Leading with Confidence. And we’re switching it up with 16 articles – one for every personality type. This way, we can dive deeper into what each type specifically needs in order to show up as a confident leader.
For much of my professional life, I wished I were more confident. More comfortable speaking up in a meeting. More willing to take charge when a group needed someone to. Less likely to sit with a good idea until the moment to share it had passed.
I would look at the bold, fearless leaders around me and wonder why I couldn’t just be more like them. It seemed to come so naturally to them. I assumed something was missing in me.
Then I learned about personality theory, and I gained a little more grace for myself. I started to understand why certain situations drained my confidence and others built it. I learned that I could develop as a leader in a way that actually worked for my personality, instead of trying to force myself into a mold that was never going to fit.
And I learned what I personally need in order to feel more confident.
That is what I want to explore with you in October, one personality type at a time. And I’d love for your questions to help shape what we cover together.
If you feel comfortable doing so, share what you would like to see covered in this Leading with Confidence series in the comments below.
And if you aren’t sure where to start, here are a few prompts you can riff off of:
When do you feel most confident as a leader, and when does that confidence disappear?
Where does self-doubt tend to show up for you: decisions, conflict, visibility, delegation, something else?
What do you want to know about how your personality type builds, loses, or projects confidence?
I’ve opened up commenting on this post so everyone can respond.
I read every response, and what you share will directly shape where I take this new series.
And if you have another leadership topic you’d love to see covered down the road, all paying subscribers are invited to join the Leadership Council, where you can submit topic ideas directly.
I spent a long time believing confident leadership belonged to a certain kind of person. I don’t believe that anymore, and I’d love for this series to help you let go of that idea too, if you’re holding it.
You already have what you need to be a confident leader. The work ahead is figuring out what confidence looks like for you, and I’m glad to be doing it alongside you.
Until next time,
Carly from the 16Personalities team
Many mistakes or errors are fixable. I want to convey that everyone makes mistakes, but the sooner you tell your leader, the more options are possible for fixes. People fear their mistakes will trigger firing, whereas hiding known errors is so much worse.