Dare to express your views

It is always surprising to realize the extent to which self-confidence is not linked to the qualities of a person, nor to his/her past successes. At all hierarchical levels, and up to the greatest world leaders, many people doubt, deep down, whether they are up for the job or deserve to be appreciated. Conversely, some go through life filled with an authentic tranquility. They dare to admit to their mistakes, since they do not consider it as challenging their intrinsic value. They know how to listen to others, because this does not force them to bend to their point of view, but can enrich them with a different perspective. They accept making decisions, while knowing they will rarely be perfect ones. They share their opinion, sure that it has some form of legitimacy, while remaining open to the idea of debating it…

In the business world, self-confidence is highly regarded. Rightly so, since it is the quality that probably enables best the setting up of constructive relationships, which are indispensable to collective performance. Yet wrongly so as well sometimes, because everything pushes us to overplay this confidence. Don’t shy individuals, however competent they may be, find it harder to climb the hierarchical ladder? Many therefore believe that to succeed, they must demonstrate a relentless assurance. This is one of the reasons we note so many defensive attitudes. To unconsciously prove to themselves that they are worth more than others, some people will aggress their counterparts. Others will refuse to acknowledge they may be wrong, as this would be admitting to a flaw in their reasoning, and thus an imperfection—which they would experience more or less consciously as a sign of mediocrity. Avoidance behaviors are even more pernicious. In theory, everyone knows that the enterprise needs to dare innovate. Yet how many are ready to take the responsibility of the mistakes that will be made along the way?

Self-confidence is thus a critical challenge, with many and deep repercussions on the life of a company. Here are some keys to developing this quality.

In this synopsis:
- Expressing disagreement: the traps to avoid
- Know how to trust yourself
-Dare to assert your point of view