And this is where the difference between a manager and a leader becomes clear.
A leader is not someone who already feels certain.
A leader is someone who knows how to create certainty, first within themselves and only then for others.
Self-efficacy
This ability has a name: self-efficacy. It is the inner belief that even if I don’t know exactly what will happen, I can handle the situation and influence it. Not through hope, but through experience.
Self-efficacy doesn’t develop by reading manuals or discussing best practices. It develops in moments of uncertainty when you have to orient yourself, make a decision and accept the consequences. These moments become formative experiences, situations that genuinely shape a person because you can’t hide behind a title or a theory.
That is why experiential training is an essential part of our professional programmes. Not as an optional extra, but as a space where participants can safely practise functioning in the unknown, take care of themselves in uncertain conditions and gradually assume responsibility for others. This is where inner confidence is built, the confidence that you can rely on yourself.
But a formative experience is only the beginning.
What turns it into real development is self-reflection.
Self-reflection
Self-reflection is the most powerful tool for building self-efficacy. It helps you separate emotion from competence, identify what worked and carry that insight into new situations. At Newton, self-reflection is a core part of how we approach leadership development across programmes, contexts and management levels.
And there is one more thing worth saying.
Behind every training we run stands a carefully thought-out developmental strategy. It is never a random mix of activities. It is never “a strong experience for the sake of a strong experience.” Every element, every situation and every moment of uncertainty has a specific purpose in strengthening self-efficacy and leadership in action.
Newton’s trainings
Newton’s trainings are not about testing courage or competing for performance. They are intentionally designed spaces where people can step to the edge of their familiar patterns and discover they can move beyond them. And they only work when you experience them fully, not halfway, not from a distance and not as an observer.
Because self-efficacy isn’t built by staying where it feels safe.
It is built by stepping in, taking responsibility and allowing yourself to fully process what the experience brings.
One thing always holds true:
In leadership, certainty isn’t something you wait for.
It is something you create.
And this is exactly what our trainings are here to help you do.
Author: doc. Ing. Jiří Koleňák, Ph.D., MBA, LL.M.
