Hagel (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If you don’t stand up for yourself, how can others expect you to stand up for them?
That was a point that David Brooks, columnist for the New York Times, made on Meet the Press when commenting on Chuck Hagel’s performance in front of a Senate committee that must approve his nomination for Secretary of Defense.
To be fair Hagel’s fellow Republicans view him as a turncoat when as Senator he questioned the surge in Iraq, referred to the influence of the “Jewish lobby” in regards to Israel, and did not endorse fellow senator John McCain when he rain for president in 2008.
As Brooks noted, Hagel seemed “ Unprepared even to defend himself look strong. He’s being attacked. His integrity is being attacked. His honesty is being attacked. Hit back. Demand some time, defend yourself. You’ve got to do that because you’ve got to have the confidence of the president when you get the job… You got to have the confidence of the generals in the building.”
Exactly. Leaders need to inspire the trust of those they lead. Politics aside what we can take from Hagel’s bumbling is that when the heat is on, leaders need to radiate calmness, clarity and most of all confidence. Hagel generated none of this. Let’s take them one at a time.
Calmness. When the temperature of the room goes up, the leader needs to be one to cool things done. She does this by remaining calm, speaking quietly, and most importantly focuses on the situation at hand.
Clarity. It is not enough to be calm; a leader must also be clear and coherent. Communications need to be concise as well as direct. A good leader will always check for understanding to make certain that people know what it expected of them and what they must do next.
Confidence. Of the three, confidence is most critical. If you do not believe radiate a sense of self that others want to follow then it will be difficult to lead. Confidence emerges from the inner self. It is rooted in what a leader has accomplished as well as the faith he or she has in his ability to continue to accomplish more.
Be advised that too much confidence is arrogance. No one likes a braggart or one who is so self-absorbed that he is unaware of anyone but himself. In truth that is not confidence; it is hubris.
Make no mistake: leaders are human beings. They can and should feel doubt; that is human nature. The challenge is to sublimate doubt in public and keep such doubts to self and close associates. A truly confident leader is a whole person one who knows his or her limitations yet radiates the composure and presence that followers need to see as well as to feel.
Belief in self is essential to leadership that must be communicated through words and example to others whom you are asked to lead. They are looking to their leader for direction as well as for hope and often inspiration. A leader who shakes in his boots is not someone that others want to follow.
