Alan Weiss defined the difference between confidence and arrogance in his November segment of "The Writing on the Wall." He says confidence is the honest-to-god belief that you can help others and arrogance is the honest-to-god belief that you have nothing left to learn yourself.
Have you ever said to a consultant or coach "I've been doing things this way for years and I do okay"? Some even say "we win/accomplish/grow the business a lot."That fits Alan's definition of arrogance to a 'T.' "Doing okay" by definition means that improvement is needed, yet you don't see it that way.
Doing okay is at best 50-50--would you support a professional sports team that is 50-50 year after year? Doing okay is never getting promoted, or being asked to assume bigger responsibilities or achieve higher goals. Okay is only routine, nothing special, same old, same old.
Leaders are in the optimal position to demonstrate confidence by realizing that they themselves can always be learning. Leaders who work with coaches in order to achieve continuous, small increments of improvements are admirable role-models. Leaders who encourage others to seek and pursue improvement themselves pass on the confidence that comes with always learning.
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