Confidence Comes Last
There are so many applications for Dan Sullivan’s “4 C’s Formula”! I used the 4 C’s Formula for one of the lessons in the Alcohol-Free “Sober October” Challenge, and the opportunity came up two more times last week to discuss this framework in my consulting business: first in my Leadership Workshop Series for Women in Construction and the second in an Executive coaching session. First, let’s briefly review the 4 C’s Formula:
COMMITMENT - You have to be committed to achieving a breakthrough in the future. It’s not about having a guarantee of success, but being committed to taking action.
COURAGE - The courage to take a risk. Courage is about being brave. “Bravery is not the lack of fear, it’s the ability to move forward in spite of it.” It takes courage to KEEP GOING! It may be uncomfortable and filled with uncertainty, but that’s how you learn and grow!
COMPETENCE (CAPABILITY) - You have to learn new skills and knowledge. Capability is created from the inside. It’s the willingness to move forward despite the discomfort.
CONFIDENCE comes last! It’s the reward for taking action, making a commitment, being courageous and building competencies.
In my Leadership Program, last week’s workshop was on “Growth Mindset.” We discussed the importance of taking risks to learn and grow to reach higher levels of leadership. With a growth mindset and positive intelligence perspective, we are able to see a challenge or setback as a gift or opportunity. When we are in the zone of “Competence” and building new skills and capabilities, we are bound to make mistakes and have setbacks.
New York Times best-selling author, Shirzad Chamine, explains that from a positive intelligence (PQ) perspective,“we can’t control or choose much of what happens in work and in life. We can, however, determine the impact that these events have on us by choosing how we respond.” ~Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential
When we are able to acknowledge that we are in the “learning zone” and accept that not everything will go according to plan, this is where our PQ muscles can be exercised. Chamine describes the “Three Gifts Technique,” which is critical to building our PQ muscles: Think of at least three ways the problem could turn into a gift and opportunity at some point in the future. Overcoming the setback with a positive intelligence perspective will help us recover faster, so we can continue learning with a positive mindset, and ultimately advance to the 4th stage, Confidence.
Lastly, I had an Executive Coaching session with a young leader this week who is learning the ropes in her new position as co-president of her firm. Feeling overwhelmed and full of self-doubt, she said she felt like she “just doesn’t know anything.” A recent law school graduate, this leader is far from not knowing anything! But we discussed that in this new role, she’s in the midst of the learning zone, building competencies that she needs to gain first.
After briefly reviewing the 4 C’s Formula, she realized, she did have an option to say “yes” to taking this position in the first place; she indeed had made a commitment. She acknowledged she was being courageous to learn a new industry and take on this role; she certainly didn’t think it would be easy. She realized that she is squarely in learning zone, building competencies and new skills. Understanding the “4 Cs Formula” — and that confidence comes last — set her mind at ease and allowed her to take a little pressure off herself. With some time, new skills and capabilities, her confidence will come.
As Dan Sullivan says, “The 4 C’s Formula is a universal process that can be used by anyone who wants to achieve greater success in any part of their life.” Here we can see three separate applications: (1) learning life skills for continuing on the alcohol-freedom journey; (2) recovering from setbacks with a growth mindset to continue learning; and (3) reaching new levels and building confidence in executive leadership.
What’s the next level YOU’RE aiming for, to achieve greater success in your life? Whether in your alcohol-free journey, in leadership, or your life in general?
