There is an infinitely fine line between having confidence and begin arrogant. I think many leaders struggle with knowing the difference between the two. As a matter of fact, I posted an article yesterday from my friend Brian Dodd titled, “9 Things Every Young Leader Must Have To Be Successful”. It is based on an interview with Jon Gruden talking about the quarterbacks entering the 2014 NFL Draft.
Number 6 on the list is “Confidence”. Gruden says, “I want confidence. I want that to ooze out of my quarterback”. After posting the article, I had some great conversation on twitter about determining the difference between confidence and arrogance. Here is my list for distinguishing between confidence and arrogance.
| Confidence | Arrogance |
| Result of hard work and preparation | Result of thinking you’re superior to everyone else |
| Attracts | Repels |
| Self-assurance | Self-importance |
| Inward attitude | All about outward appearance |
| Listens | Brags |
| Thrives when others succeed | Is threatened when others succeed |
| Seeks the truth | Thinks their opinions equal truth |
| Admits when they’re wrong | Never admit their mistakes |
| Builds others up | Puts others down |
| Humility | Pride |
What would you add to the list?
Eric Echols 
Confidence: High expectations of self. Leads by example.
Arrogance: High expectations of others. Leads by force.
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Thanks for commenting. That’s so good. When you have high expectations for yourself, you will lead by example. On the other hand, you lead by force when you place unreal expectations on others.
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Our faith in Christ gives us confidence with boldness and full access. Eph 3:12 Arrogance is faithless, shows weakness and closes us to to God’s greatness.
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