When Leaders Have No Doubt 🧐?

I sat with a senior manager.

I didn't mean to be disrespectful or argumentative, but I was genuinely curious about the level of confidence that left no room for doubt or question,

So, I had to ask: How can you be so sure?

Don't get me wrong; I have nothing against confidence; on the contrary, I have lots of self-confidence and conviction (all credit goes to my husband: "You are right, my dear" 😉)
But I also excel at self-doubt and self-criticism (a side effect of being human with a hefty dose of CPA's, auditor's investigative mind),

so when I meet someone who seemingly has no doubts, I want to know more

No doubt, it usually sounds like:

I am absolutely positive!
There is no question of that!
I have done it hundreds of times!
It's the only way, for sure!
I do not doubt that!
 
These examples showcase confidence (no doubt 😉 there are many more), which, in a particular context, can have one thing in common:

Doubt (or a different opinion) is not Welcomed.

The situation above was one of those moments, and my question, "How can you be so sure?" was not met with grace...but with the 'look.' 🤨
 
I understand the 'look.'

People look up to their leaders, so showing confidence as a leader is essential to create safety and the feeling of 'I got this, and I got you.'

And yet, when there is no DOUBT, I sense there is DOUBT if there is a safe space to allow DOUBT to be explored and serve as a tool for learning.

 I believe that some of the great lessons, learning, and growth happen when:

🍭Leaders are the last to express their opinion, allowing freedom to say anything and take the risk to shake the status quo without being judged and ridiculed

🍭Leaders who express doubt permit others to feel that expressing doubt is ok, and it says nothing about one's competence or confidence. You can use positive language such as "Is there a better way?"

🍭Leaders invite doubt by nominating 'a Devil's advocate' who purposely challenges any argument or solution. (I learned that it is beneficial to appoint a different team every time)

🍭Leaders play with doubt. They make DOUBT a habit, a regular practice for brainstorming. Remember the game we played as children: "I spy with my little eyes..." Try a round of ' I spy...' to surface doubts and create more options for action
 
🍭Leaders perceive doubt as a sign of curiosity and willingness to learn and explore different ideas rather than a weakness of character or, worse, as a threat, an attempt to challenge their authority.
 
❣️ May I offer that when someone asks you, "How can you be so sure? ".. don't give them the 'look' but be genuinely invested in exploring their doubt; there might be a lesson for you.

You learn from everyone, so let their doubt be your teacher.
Let the existence of self-doubt be your guide and a reminder that you never seize to learn new things, as long as you DO (ubt) and try new ways.
Learning happens with ❓, not with