Take your leadership to the next level

There are many things that entrepreneurs (like business executives) need to succeed: a successful business idea, money or investors, a solid marketing plan, a smart team to help you get started, the ability to build, manage and retain functional teams, etc. There is one trait, however, that is rare and indispensable: self-confidence.

It takes a determined and courageous person to bring the first product or service to the market. This is especially true if it is something no one has seen before. Bold and gutsy people lead a sales team, communicate a vision and grow a company.

While no one is immune to insecurity, entrepreneurs who want to succeed must be confident in who they are and what they do. They must also be able to imprint the same spirit on the people who will help them succeed.

Here are seven ways to become a more determined, confident, and solid entrepreneurial leader:

1. Know yourself. Entrepreneurial leaders generally want to do everything themselves. But unless you have superpowers, that's impossible. You must also accept that you are not an expert at everything. You will need help to get your startup off the ground and grow successfully.

Assess yourself. Find out what you are skilled at and what you are not talented at. Be confident about your skills and focus on them. Hire people to handle the rest.

2. Set reasonable expectations. Once you focus on what you are skilled at, understand what is humanly possible to achieve. You don't need to be 100 percent perfect all the time. Even a rock star is destined to fail if he or she sets irrational goals. You can set your yardstick for success by measuring yourself against what you expect from your colleagues. Ask your mentor what he or she expects of you. You should then have confidence that you can achieve it.
3. Get rid of negativity. Negativity and confidence do not work hand in hand. People cannot be truly confident if they focus on doubt or anxiety. If you feel negative about a certain assumption, for example, let's say you stink at presentations.

Ask yourself: Why do I think this way, and what evidence supports this belief? If the feeling has some validity, think about what you can do to solve the problem and become more confident.

4. Dress for success. Dressing well can improve others' perception of you and your look. Appropriate attire depends on several factors, including your industry. However, to be effective, you should present yourself in a way that suggests you are prepared and in control.
5. Take action without hesitation. Looking well is only half the battle. A successful entrepreneur also wants confidence. Someone who is visibly confident does not hesitate between acting and deciding. If you feel insecure about an issue, ask yourself what holds you back. The answer can help you overcome confidence issues.
6. Be prepared. To act without hesitation, you need to be prepared. It may sound obvious, but you should never get into a meeting without doing your homework. The same is true in any part of business. Acting on tangible knowledge is better than doing it lightly. Preparation erases doubts and makes you look confident.
7. Don't let overconfidence hinder your success. After starting a business that succeeds quickly, entrepreneurs sometimes let their confidence get the better of them. Overconfidence can sap others' motivation, but also blind you to business changes.

Being confident doesn't mean you think you can do nothing wrong. When markets change, you can't always stay the course and succeed. A confident entrepreneur will know when to make changes that will set his or her business up for success. And he knows how to let himself be helped, when necessary, by professionals outside his company.

Permissive leadership or strong leadership?

Jack Welch and Steve Jobs are two examples of people who exemplified a demanding (and successful) leadership style. Welch frequently made unpopular decisions and claimed that a leader does not exist to make people happy but to achieve results. Jobs was characterized as a ruthless dictator, perfectionist, and intolerant narcissist who created a ruthless corporate culture. However, few argue that Apple's global success is not attributed to his leadership.

Being a strong leader means making tough decisions, confronting adversity, demanding outstanding performance, and being a competitive force in the marketplace in which the organization operates. Successful leaders sacrifice feeling loved to focus on their goals. Leadership toughness is even more important when the challenges are too great and the risk of not achieving them is too great.

Leaders who require acceptance and treat everyone the same whether or not they fulfill their responsibility and expect team performance are destined for mediocrity. Those who make decisions even when they displease their teams, and eradicate interpersonal conflicts by making decisions about who works with whom and why, will earn the respect essential to achieving and exceeding goals.

Teachers, coaches, and bosses we respected always demanded and expected the best of us. In the end, we delivered that to them