The Leadership Gap We’re Not Talking About: Confidence Before Competence

The most striking insight I've gathered from both my corporate real estate career, consulting and my work with youth isn't about strategy or market analysis—it's about confidence.

My observations are remarkable. In meetings and boardrooms, I’ve witnessed seasoned leaders hesitate to share potentially innovative solutions because they "weren't 100% certain" or were too timid to speak up. Especially in commercial real estate (I’ll dig deeper into this later on).  With MKUU (pronounced em-koo), my nonprofit for young girls, I’ve watched 11-13-year-olds hold back thoughtful contributions for the exact same reasons.

Here's what over 15 years in leadership development has taught me: Confidence often precedes competence, not the other way around.

When I founded MKUU to inspire girls to lead with confidence and conviction, I recognized that the leadership gap begins with belief, not ability, and it starts at an early age. Our workshops don't just teach leadership skills—they create spaces where girls can build the confidence to use them.

In both boardrooms and classrooms, I've witnessed how a confident voice sharing an 70% solution contributes infinitely more than a brilliant mind keeping a 95% solution silent.

The most successful organizations I've worked with don't just develop competence—they cultivate environments where people (especially those historically underrepresented in leadership) feel confident enough to contribute before they feel "perfect" enough.

This is why OPINEX Group’s leadership development approach merges these worlds: technical skills matter, but the conviction to apply them matters more.

What environments have helped you build confidence as a leader? And how are you creating them for others?