By Fenni Nghikevali
Leadership confidence is often assumed to be a natural trait of leaders. It is often admired, and expected, and in many leadership conversations, confidence is assumed to be either a personality trait or the natural outcome of seniority.
This article explores insights into where leadership confidence comes from, based on research insights and engagements I conducted through a leadership poll on the professional ‘FENomenal Leader’ LinkedIn page.
The question posed was simple but revealing: “What is the biggest contributor to leadership confidence?” Participants were asked to choose between four options. The results and perspectives behind them were as follows:
Question: What is the biggest contributor to leadership confidence?
- 31% of respondents: Experience and Exposure
- 26% of respondents: Competence and skills
- 25% of respondents: Mentorship and coaching
- 18% of respondents: Self-belief
1st Ranking: Experience and Exposure
The highest proportion of respondents (31% of respondents) selected experience and exposureas the primary source of leadership confidence. This outcome reflects a widely held belief that confidence is earned through time, repetition, and lived leadership moments.
Experience provides context as it teaches leaders how to respond to uncertainty, manage complexity, and recover from setbacks. In many ways, experience legitimises confidence because it is rooted in what has already been navigated and survived.
2nd Ranking: Competence and Skills
Closely following was competence and skills (26% of respondents). This reinforces the view that confidence is strengthened by technical skills and capability.
Leaders who understand their roles, develop technical and behavioural skills, and feel equipped to make decisions are more likely to project confidence.
Competence creates a sense of control, particularly in environments that demand accountability, technical expertise, and performance.
3rd Ranking: Mentorship and Coaching
Notably, mentorship and coaching ranked slightly lower than competence and skills
(25% of respondents). This is a significant shift worth highlighting. Historically, leadership confidence has been framed as an individual endeavour, something leaders must build alone through resilience and personal drive.
The recognition of mentorship and coaching as a core contributor suggests a growing awareness that confidence can be developed through guidance, and support. Leaders are increasingly acknowledging the value of safe developmental spaces.
4th Ranking: Self-Belief
The lowest-ranked option was self-belief (18% of respondents). At first glance, this may seem counterintuitive. Self-belief is often associated with confidence, yet it received the least votes.
This does not imply that leaders view self-belief as unimportant. Rather, it suggests that self-belief operates quietly and is often undervalued or taken for granted. Many leaders rely on it implicitly but may struggle to articulate or prioritise it explicitly, especially in professional environments that favour measurable outputs over internal states.
Research conclusion
Taken together, these results point to an important insight that leadership confidence is not built through a single source. It is cultivated through an ecosystem of experience, competence, belief, and support.
Another key perspective emerging from this research is that confidence is developmental, not static. Leaders do not simply have confidence; they first build it, lose it, recalibrate it, and strengthen it over time. A highly experienced leader may still experience moments of doubt when contexts change. Conversely, a less experienced leader may demonstrate strong confidence when supported, prepared, and self-aware.
From a personal leadership perspective, the research reaffirmed a critical belief: In today’s environment of rapid change, heightened scrutiny, and increasing leadership demands, confidence cannot be left to chance. It must be cultivated deliberately, supported intentionally, and understood holistically.
Ultimately, the question is not where leadership confidence comes from, but whether leaders and organisations are willing to invest in building the conditions that allow it to grow.
Leadership confidence is not accidental. It is cultivated.
*Fenni Nghikevali is the Founder & CEO of the FENomenal leadership brand in Namibia. This article is written in her personal capacity as a leadership enthusiast, and is not representative of any institution).
