Leadership isn`t something that we are born with, it isn`t genetic like the color of our eyes or hair, it is something that we learn. We have heard of somebody that has been referred to as a born leader, this is rubbish. There are many components that go towards making a great leader, and you many be lacking in one or two of them at the minute, but it is never to late to learn.

Confidence is key. If, from an early age, you are made to feel like you are special and can take on the world, you grow up believing this to be so. If, on the other hand, you are quite often ignored as a child and little praise comes your way, you will grow up thinking that you are inferior. This can have a far reaching and detrimental effect on the way you live your life. You will feel out of it in classroom discussions and have little self esteem. It`s quite easy to gain confidence and here are a few ideas you may like to try.

Despite lacking in confidence, we all have something that we KNOW we are good at. Use this as a starting block. If you are good at a sport or pastime, join a club or a team. This will build your confidence as others will appreciate your skills and give you praise that is long overdue. If you good academically, find an online group which specializes in your area. If you excel at words for example, join online tournaments and see how you go. Join in the forums and chat with other with the same interests. This will improve you social circle and relieve some of the shyness that those with a self confidence crisis inevitably feel. The point of this exercise is that if you can realize your potential in one area of your life, you can realize it in others.

When it comes to work, it can be incredibly frustrating to see people with less experience getting those promotions simply because they make themselves heard. Yes, they will obviously have the skills to do the job, but you have to! Getting yourself noticed at work can be difficult if you`ve always just blended in with the furniture, but you need to let your talents be known. Next time you do a piece of work you are proud of, ask for a word with your boss in private and show them what you have done. This many seem very daunting, but they are human, and every boss needs to know what their employees are capable of. If you are nervous, practice what you want to say to family or in front of a mirror, but you don`t want to sound robotic or that it`s planned.

Everyone can be a leader; it just takes some longer than other to realize that they have the qualities required. By taking one step at a time, you too can realize your potential, and the fact that you`ve worked harder for it van make you a great leader as opposed to just a good one.

Author Bio: You can have access to articles in Portuguese language from page Articles Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil

Category: Self Help
Keywords: leadership, self help