Assess Yourself on the 8 Elements of Clear & Confident Leadership

I had a mentor tell me once that when things feel complicated, it's best to be simple. The solutions for overwhelming problems aren't usually complex or detailed, but often the simple leadership practices and habits that endure the test of time. 

 As we close out January 2026, things feel complicated in the world, and yet, we have more power than we think. I wrote about this on my social media pages on Instagram and LinkedIn. For the last eight years, I've been writing about, teaching and coaching leaders, especially women, using my Clarity & Confidence® leadership philosophy. There are times I have to stop overcomplicating things and use the tools I give my clients to address hard issues. That's exactly what I did this week. 

 It made me reflect on my own leadership 101 and dive back into this question, what really makes someone a clear and confident leader?

Growing up in corporate learning and development, human resources and leadership consulting roles, I've had the chance to observe thousands of leaders in action (and be one myself). I noticed what worked and what didn't work for them in terms of their career advancement, their ability to influence others and drive results for themselves and others. I observed leaders that showed up happy and balanced versus those who seemed overwhelmed, stuck and frequently stressed. 

 I developed a hypothesis over a decade ago that the most effective and happiest leaders - what I now call clear and confident leaders - embraced three things:

• Insight: They knew who they were, what their strengths were and were NOT, what motivated them, and their blind spots. They did the work and sought feedback to be self aware.

• Belief: They knew what they stood for and trusted themselves to respond in the moments that called for their leadership. They believed in their abilities. They bet on and chose themselves.

• Action: If you have just the two above, you can get into analysis paralysis and never take action. Taking action was a key element. These leaders took action in alignment with their values, even if they didn't have all the data, even if they didn't feel 100% confident yet. 

From these observations and thousands of hours of training and coaching leaders, along with the research conducted while writing my book, Closing The Confidence Gap, I learned that most leaders wanted two things:

1. First, they wanted to be clear. Clear about themselves, their next steps, their team and their goals.

2. Second, they wanted to feel confident. Confident to meet their daily challenges, confident in themselves and their abilities and the ability to trust themselves and take action on that self-trust. 

Today, I believe there are eight essential behaviors of clear and confident leadership and these are the leadership basics I work on with all of my clients. They are the core behaviors I bring MYSELF back to when things feel overcomplicated, overwhelming and unclear. 

 Over the next eight articles, I want to get back to leadership basics and unpack these elements. I hope to show you (and remind myself!) how these simple tools can bring YOU more clarity and confidence in your life and in your leadership.

🔥 Let's advance with clarity and confidence! Assess yourself below on the eight core elements.

When I work with clients 1-1 or in my women's leadership program, they take a Clarity & Confidence® Leadership Alignment Check before we begin and after we complete our work together. It measures their mastery of the eight core elements of clear and confident leadership. 

The graphic above features the combined before & after results of 21 Executive Coaching Clients I coached in 2025.

THE 8 ELEMENTS OF LEADING WITH CLARITY & CONFIDENCE® 

Want to see where you stand? Rate yourself on a scale of 1 (never) to 10 (always). Then, reflect on the questions below. 

Values Driven

I know my top five core values and consider them before making decisions or taking action.

Motivationally Aware

Deep down, I know what motivates me. I know WHY I feel, think and act the way I do (both positive & negative).

Energetic Intelligence

I know what my unique talents are and what tasks surge my energy. I say no to tasks/projects that drain me.

Situational Savvy

I own my unique approach and personality, however, I can flex my approach situationally. I know when AND where to use an authentic yet values-driven approach to get the results I want.

Healthy Boundaries

I give my best yeses and noes. I say yes to things in alignment with my values and talents. I can say no to others, even if they get upset. I say no to projects/tasks that don't align with my energy or skillset.

Self Trust

I know when my gut/intuition tells me yes or no AND I listen to it. I trust my hunches and inner ways of knowing things. I trust my inner intelligence over defaulting to others' advice.

Advocacy

I speak up on my unique points of view or areas of expertise. I speak up on what is mine to say in alignment with my values. I can share ideas or hold hard conversations while also feeling nerves and imposter feelings.

Action Oriented

I know when to move beyond analysis and into action. I rarely let "analysis paralysis" get the best of me. I frequently take next steps while also feeling the discomfort of uncertainty.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What do I notice about the results?

2. What areas feel most aligned for me right now?

3. What area(s) would I like to focus on next?

4. Does my self-assessment align with how others perceive me? What steps can I take to discern this?

STAY TUNED! Next article we'll unpack the element my clients realize the most growth in - values driven leadership.

JOIN US IN THE CLARITY & CONFIDENCE® COLLECTIVE

The Collective is a private group leadership coaching and community program designed to bring corporate women leaders together for clarity, confidence, and support. It's an empowering space where corporate women can learn, get perspective, and feel less alone as they advance into bigger roles.

Learn more & join for only $99/mo.

Kelli Thompson is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, and executive coach who specializes in helping high achievers advance to influential leaders in their organizations. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book, Closing The Confidence Gap: Boost Your Peace, Your Potential & Your Paycheck.

Learn more about: Executive Coaching | Speaking & Training | Group Programs