01 / COMPETENCE AND CONFIDENCE
They are often treated like the same thing. They are not.
Someone can sound confident long before they have shown they know what they are doing. I have never felt the need to be the most confident voice in the room. I do not always have an answer right away, and I do not pretend to.
I like to understand how things work. I ask questions and pay attention to what is not working. If someone knows more than I do, I want them around. When I take on a problem, I stay with it until it is solved.
Competence usually takes longer to see than confidence.
Maybe that is why confidence gets so much credit.
02 / LISTEN FIRST
Not speaking first does not mean someone has nothing to say.
Sometimes I am listening, learning, or reading the room. I do not assume the person talking the most knows the most.
Over the years, I have met people who could sell an answer before they fully understood the question. I have also known people who did not say much, but their work showed you exactly how capable they were. Those are the people I learned to trust.
Once I understand the problem, I am comfortable making a decision and taking responsibility for the outcome.
03 / CAPABLE PEOPLE
I want people around me who know things I do not.
I try to surround myself with people who are better than I am at certain things. I have hired people for exactly that reason, but it also applies outside of work.
I want people around me who catch things I miss and will tell me when they think I am wrong. There is not much value in being around capable people if you only listen when they agree with you.
Competence over confidence.