The concept of entering the loop of confidence is a powerful way to improve many aspects of your life. Confidence is defined as the psychological state of being sure of something. The Oxford Dictionary offers two definitions of confidence: the first involves certainty and the second refers to the feeling of being certain of yourself.
Developing skills
Confidence is a soft skill, but it can be learned and practiced. An entrepreneur once told me that she felt insecure about speaking in public, but eventually started speaking at industry events. She found that it helped her product gain attention and she gained new clients and business partners. Confidence is a function of competence and skills, and developing these skills will lead to greater self-confidence.
One of the most important leadership skills is developing the confidence of others. When a team member lacks confidence, the entire team suffers. Confidence is built through practice and building community. Cisco's Change Lab and Slack community are examples of such communities.
Validating others' opinions
When you feel that you can't trust someone's opinion, you might feel the need to validate them. However, this can have the opposite effect than you may think. Invalidating someone's opinion will make them feel worse, because you're suggesting that they shouldn't feel the way they do. Instead, you should try to understand their emotions and validate them. When you do this, you'll be surprised at how connecting the conversation will become.
Validating others' opinions and feelings shows that you value their experiences. In addition, it also shows them that you accept their viewpoint, even if you disagree with it. By doing this, you'll help improve the quality of your relationships with them.
