“The biggest change because of Kapable is that I now see myself as a confident person who can contribute, even when I don’t know everything.”

I used to believe that technical expertise was the strongest foundation for leadership. If I could do the work well and prove my capabilities through results, I assumed that would naturally translate into growth but as I moved further into leadership, I began to see that technical ability alone could not carry every conversation.
One moment made this especially clear. During my team’s sprint reviews, I would write detailed appreciation for colleagues on our internal page. I could express exactly what they had accomplished in writing, but when it came time to say the same things aloud, I struggled to convey the emotion and appreciation behind my words. I realised I needed to become more articulate and confident in how I communicated.
That was one of the reasons I joined Kapable. I wanted to become more confident in conversations, especially when speaking with different people, and understand the broader skills required to grow as a leader.
One of the earliest changes was simply becoming more willing to initiate conversations. I had always been an introvert and rarely started conversations myself. Through the sessions and assignments, I began putting myself into situations where I had to initiate discussions, share my thoughts and interact with people more openly. Over time, that hesitation started reducing.
The bigger shift came in how I approached communication itself. Earlier, my priority was getting all my points across. I would speak quickly, mix up words and focus more on delivering the content than on whether the other person was actually receiving the message. I now consciously slow down and focus on making fewer points clearly and confidently.
This has also changed how I handle disagreements. Earlier, I would often push my view when a team member disagreed with me. Today, I try to understand their perspective first, acknowledge what makes sense in their view, and then explain my own position. That creates space for a more constructive conversation rather than simply trying to prove my point.
Another important change has been understanding that leadership extends far beyond technical capability. Communication, negotiation, empathy and the ability to understand another person’s perspective all influence how effectively a leader can work with people.
I have also started applying this differently when appreciating my team. Instead of simply reading out what someone has accomplished, I now try to communicate why I genuinely appreciate their contribution and make that appreciation more personal. That has helped me create a stronger sense of connection with the team.
I still have areas I want to improve, particularly adding stronger examples, becoming more expressive and building these behaviours into muscle memory but I no longer see confidence as something I either have or don’t have. I now feel capable of starting a conversation, contributing to unfamiliar topics and communicating my thoughts with greater clarity.
Most importantly, I want to carry forward the habit of understanding another person’s perspective. As my responsibilities grow, I want people to experience me as a positive leader whose thoughts are clear, whose communication is easy to understand, and who makes people feel heard.