A Leader's Guide to Cultivating Confidence

This viewpoint is frequently directed inwardly, but that's not the end of anyone's story. By changing how we see ourselves, we can become the more confident versions of ourselves who inspire teams and get results.

[Read more: Building a Strengths-Based Leadership Approach]

Bendaña shared how, after overcoming a series of major challenges in his own life, he "found energy for my life again when I thought there wasn't any" and developed his belief that everyone has a more confident version of themselves — they just have to tap into it. From there, he came up with four "big ideas" to help people get to that point:

1. People meet your energy before they meet you. People want to be led by and engage with someone who brings great energy. "Motivation is temporary and it expires; energy is something we can activate," Bendaña said. "We won't rise to the level of our goals; we'll fall to the level of our energy."
2. Scared is what you feel — courage is what you do. Too many people are so paralyzed by fear of being judged that they end up not doing anything at all. The remedy is to intentionally step outside one's comfort zone, whether that means swimming with sharks or creating a disco bathroom.
3. Perfect isn't perfect; progress is. Trying to become someone the world would approve of is inauthentic and increasingly easier for people to see through. People should focus on the moment before them and let it go once it is passed. "A team doesn't connect to a perfect leader. They connect to an authentic one," he said. 
4. See in others what they can't see in themselves. Confidence isn't just about one person; it's also about the people in their lives. When speaking with colleagues and team members, it's possible to interrupt their inner negative voice and help replace self-doubt with confidence.

A Rallying Cry

Bendaña's exploration of the internal perception of identity ties into the theme of the 2024 NACS Show, "We Are Convenience." The admittedly broad topic is intended to serve as a kind of rallying cry for the entire industry, according to Jeff Lenard, vice president of strategic industry initiatives for NACS.

"When you look at every other channel, they're defined by what they sell. Grocery stores sell groceries. Drugstores sell drugs. … Convenience stores sell a concept. Convenience doesn't describe what's on the shelves, it describes what customers crave, and it changes over time," he explained. "It could be one-stop shopping. It could be a fast shopping experience. And then, when you look at a convenience store like Buc-ee's, it's entirely different. So, convenience is in the mind of the customer, and how do we present that to the customer so that our channel is top of mind?"

This year's education sessions will take a cue from that idea of customer-forward thinking with multiple workshops focused on customer experience, both at the day-to-day and macro levels. Topics will range from broad demographic overviews, such as "Spilling the Tea on Gen Z," to the best use of digital media for small operators with "Digital and Physical Marketing Strategies for Smaller Retailers."

Foodservice will be a key focus of the NACS Show, as it is closing in on 40% of in-store profit dollars, according to Lenard. The 2024 lineup will also incorporate more information on artificial intelligence (AI) as part of its educational focus, a first for NACS. 

"I think people's perceptions of AI are these bad photos of people with six fingers and poorly written sentences," Lenard said. "But AI is really a tool that can help make your people better. It's trying to find ways to elevate what you already have in the store, not replace it."

The 2024 NACS Show will feature 50-plus education sessions; a 430,000-square-foot expo floor showcasing more than 200 new exhibitors; and the Food Safety Forum, a colocated NACS event.