Leaders know that feeling and demonstrating self-confidence is critical for success in the workplace. Self-confidence can influence motivation to set stretch goals, learn new skills, and develop in areas they find challenging.

But what does self-confidence look like in the real world? Is feeling confident enough, or does a leader need to be perceived as confident in order to reap the benefits?

In a new global study, we looked at more than 4,000 leaders to discover what kinds of behaviors demonstrate self-confidence to those around them - and what behaviors undermine the appearance of self-confidence.

We also explore the “fake it til you make it” principle, to find out how far conveyed self-confidence will take leaders - even when they're not feeling self-confident. 

The results will provide insights that can help us develop leaders who are more confident and who are demonstrating that confidence in a way that counts.