Reset Your Confidence in Seconds with Dr Cindra Kamphoff

What Leaders Can Learn about Confidence from Elite Performance

Confidence is one of the most common topics that comes up in leadership conversations. Whether someone is early in their career or already leading at the most senior level, confidence can still fluctuate. It is not unusual to hear high-performing professionals say they question themselves before a big presentation, an important decision or a difficult conversation.

I spoke on the podcast recently with Dr Cindra Kamphoff, certified mental performance coach, keynote speaker and author. What became very clear in our conversation is that confidence is not a personality trait reserved for a few people. It is a capability that can be developed, strengthened and protected.

Rethinking What Confidence Really Is

One of the most helpful insights Dr Kamphoff shared is that confidence is not one single idea. Instead, it has four elements.

Confidence is a feeling, and like any feeling it can come and go. You might feel confident one day and less so the next, particularly when you step into new challenges or unfamiliar environments.

Confidence is also a decision. Often the action comes before the feeling. In other words, we sometimes need to act confidently first and allow the feeling to catch up later.

It is also a skill. Confidence is not something we are born with or without. Like communication, leadership or influence, it can be practised and strengthened over time.

Finally, confidence is a belief in yourself. While feelings may fluctuate, a strong belief in your own capability can remain steady even when circumstances are challenging.

Understanding confidence in this way immediately shifts the narrative. Instead of waiting to feel confident, we can focus on building the habits and skills that support it.

Why Confidence Matters More Than We Think

Cindra has recently led a research study on confidence in the workplace, and the findings are striking.

Many people think confidence is purely personal. Something individuals need to manage themselves. However, the research shows that employee confidence has a direct impact on organisational performance.

When confidence is low, organisations are more likely to experience reduced productivity, higher stress and anxiety, increased turnover, lower innovation and even declining revenue.

In contrast, when leaders actively build confidence in their teams, organisations see stronger decision-making, better customer service, higher retention and improved culture.

In other words, confidence is not simply a personal development topic. It is a leadership issue and a business issue.

The Confidence Traps Leaders Need to Avoid

Another powerful part of our conversation focused on the behaviours that can undermine confidence.

Many high achievers struggle with overthinking. Our brains have a natural negativity bias, meaning we are wired to notice what is wrong more quickly than what is going well. This can lead to rumination, self-judgement and harsh inner criticism.

In the workplace, certain leadership behaviours can also damage confidence. Micromanagement, lack of recognition, inconsistent expectations and cultures where people feel afraid to take risks all erode confidence over time.

By contrast, leaders who recognise achievements, encourage learning from mistakes and create psychological safety help people build resilience and belief in their own capability.

Learn, Burn, Return: A Tool for Moving Forward

One of the most memorable ideas Cindra shared is a technique she teaches both elite athletes and business leaders, called ‘Learn, Burn, Return’.

The challenge for many of us is that we get stuck in the learning phase. We analyse what happened repeatedly, replay conversations in our heads and question ourselves long after the moment has passed.

Learn, Burn, Return encourages a different approach. Identify the lesson, release the mistake and refocus your attention on the next action. 

This mindset is common in high-level sport, where athletes must move on quickly from errors. The same approach can be incredibly powerful in leadership and business.

A Confidence Challenge for the Next Generation

Perhaps the most concerning insight from her research study relates to younger generations entering the workforce.

Nearly half of Gen Z respondents reported that they frequently feel they are not enough or regularly compare themselves to others. With social media, constant comparison and the disruptions of recent years, confidence is becoming more fragile.

For leaders, parents and organisations, this presents a clear challenge. If confidence is a key driver of performance, then helping younger generations develop it will be essential for the future of work.

Reflection Questions

• How often do you treat confidence as a personal issue rather than an organisational priority?

• What behaviours in your leadership style build confidence in others, and which might unintentionally undermine it?

• When mistakes happen, do you and your team learn from them and move forward, or stay stuck in overthinking?

Next Steps

Confidence grows when we become more aware of our thinking and more intentional about how we respond to challenges.

Start by noticing the language you use with yourself. Replace harsh self-judgment with constructive, realistic encouragement.

When something goes wrong, practise the Learn, Burn, Return approach. Identify the lesson, release the mistake and return your focus to what matters next.

As a leader, look closely at the environment you are creating. Recognise achievements, encourage learning and create a culture where people feel safe to speak up and take risks.

Confidence may feel fragile at times, but it is also one of the most powerful skills we can develop. And when leaders help build it in themselves and in others, the impact reaches far beyond the individual.