Confidence is vital in any leadership role. Know your strengths. Own them. And use them. But, overconfidence (confidence without humility), will tank your career– fast. In this article, I share 7 ways overconfidence will sabotage your career.
Note: If you’ve found this article you’re reading one of my earliest blog posts. Here are a few related articles you might find helpful.
Leadership Skills: 6 Competencies You Can’t Lead Without
How to Transition to a New Team With Confidence and Grace
Share Your Ideas: Practical Ways to Ensure Your Voice is Heard
Frank’s Story
Frank is bright, and confident, with an MBA from a top 25 school, and a long track record of success. He moved up quickly and has a wall full of awards. He’s checked all the boxes: special assignments, line and staff jobs, late nights; but the last three promotions have gone to someone else. When he asks why he’s told to “Be patient,” and that “Your time will come.” Hardly actionable feedback. He wants to DO something, so he goes on a self-promotion campaign, sharing his laundry list of reasons why he’s qualified. He reminds anyone that matters of his MBA, his contributions, and his sacrifices. Frank wants to be sure it’s crystal clear that he deserves the next promotion.
The next promotional opportunity comes and goes.
This time he’s told why. “You’re driving everyone crazy.” “It’s all about you, not the work.” “You’ve got a sense of entitlement.” “You’re over-confident. Instead of asking how you can improve, you’re telling everyone why you don’t need to.”
Confidence without humility will sabotage your career.
7 Ways Overconfidence Will Sabotage Your Career
1. You Come Across as Entitled
Entitled, whiny, “What about me?” makes even the most competent and confident person look weak. Let your work and actions speak for themselves. You spend too much time talking about yourself, and not lifting others up.
2. You Over-Rely on Past Strategy
It worked last time so you do it the same way. You move quickly, not stopping to consider that this situation or team is different. Lather, rinse, repeat is not a leadership strategy.
3. You Stop Learning
Leaders are learners. The world is changing fast.
4. You Stop Asking For Feedback
You think you know what to do and how to lead, so you stop asking for feedback. Leadership is never handled. Never stop asking.
5. You Under-Prepare
You’ve got this, it’s easy, so you back off the effort. You just didn’t anticipate what happened next.
6. You’ve Got No Plan B
You’re so confident you’re on the fast track, that you stop networking or creating contingency plans. Never take your career path for granted.
7. You Ignore Data
When you think you know what to do, it’s easy to ignore data that doesn’t fit your plan. Great leaders have extraordinary peripheral vision.
Thanks for this insightful article. Lots of lessons that one tends to overlook, specially around why past successes will not hold good for ever, why its not about me but about we and also about no plan B.
Karticv, So great to have you join the conversation. Thanks for your insights. Hope you will continue to participate– love to have new voices.
Many times politics plays a major part in who gets the promotion. Confidence or no confidence.
Steve, That is true….I’ve also found that it’s very important how you respond to those politics. If you start acting over-confident or under-confident it will only make matters worse. Thanks as always for your expanding the conversation.
Great post, Karin with terrific points!
What I have seen a lot is that when people appear to be be over confident it is because they are insecure and feeling uncomfortable.
Looking inside and asking others for honest feedback can be so helpful when there is a disconnect with how you think you are being viewed.
Thanks Karin!
Terri, That has been my experience as well. Sometimes what appears as overconfidence is really under confidence, that’s what makes this so tricky. Thank you.
I think that I rarely am overconfident, yet each of these speak to me. Am I delusional or human? Either way–great ideas to keep in mind. I am printing this to post on my wall! Thank you Karin.
Lisa, Human for sure.
This is a great list, Karin!
For me, I think relying upon past successes has often given me a false sense of security. Often what worked before will also work in the future, but we can’t rely on it.
Being agile and flexible is truly the key to working our way through the inevitable roadblocks that will keep showing up in life. If we’re over-confident, we’re not going to know how to deal with them.
LaRae, Thanks so much. After we’ve been around the blocks a few times, it’s easy to think we “know.” I’m with you, it’s so important to stay humble within our confidence.
How you treat people trumps every accomplishment you’ve ever had. Arrogance held me back for a long time, and made me less happy to boot. Another great post Karin!
Greg, So agree. Thanks for adding that!
Now that’s interesting. I agree that overconfidence is a bad trait and can come across as arrogant. At the same time, I also understand that in today’s world, when people are getting passed over, that sometimes it’s because those in charge of making the decisions either forget or don’t know all the contributions someone has provided to the company. The book Brag! by Peggy Klaus talks about this. In your example I think leadership failed this guy by not telling him earlier what he needed to do to be considered for a promotion. Sure, it’s up to employees to ask those questions also, but I always feel that good leadership would have taken it upon themselves first.
Mitch, Sounds like an interesting book. I think there’s a fine line between showcasing your accomplishments and going down the slippery slope of entitlement.
Hi Karin,
What I experienced to be so troublesome is when a leader, taken into the organization thru internal politics (as mentioned by Mr. Steve Borek), naturally tends to become over-confident by virtue of higher level connections. As expected, becoming complacent and apathetic follows and that affects employee morale. The clout of an I, Me, Mine aura of leadership becomes irritating and counterproductive! As we commonly say, leaders like that oftentimes ASSUME.. A Sure System of Undermining Management Excellence resulting in a A Sad State of Undetermined Management Errors!