“Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:32
People will not follow a leader who does not have confidence in himself. In fact, people are naturally attracted to people who convey confidence. An excellent example of this can be seen in an incident that occurred in Russia during an attempted coup. Army tanks surrounded the government building that housed President Boris Yeltsin and his pro-democracy supporters. High-level military leaders had ordered the tank commander to open fire and kill Yeltsin. As the army rolled into position, Yeltsin strode from the building, climbed up on a tank, looked the commander in the eye, and thanked him for coming over to the side of democracy. Later the commander admitted that although they had not intended to go over to his side, Yeltsin had appeared so confident and commanding that the soldiers decided to join him.
Confidence is a characteristic of a positive attitude. The greatest achievers and leaders remain confident regardless of circumstances. Strong, confident leaders recognize and appreciate confidence in others. Confidence is not simply for show. Confidence empowers. A good leader has the ability to instill within his people confidence in himself. A great leader has the ability to instill within his people confidence in themselves.