Earlier this month, Katelyn Ohashi became an overnight sensation, not only in the gymnastics world but on social media as well. You just have to watch her performance to see why it became viral on YouTube.

Whilst her performance is incredible, what's even more incredible is her backstory and overcoming adversity. She wasn't able to perform for almost two years due to a serious shoulder injury. And the impact of injuries for athletes isn't just physical - it hits their confidence levels even harder.

In interviews since her performance, she credits her teammates and colleagues for supporting her throughout the rehabilitation which enabled her to succeed.

Achieving confidence and overcoming obstacles doesn't happen alone

I see many leaders just like Katelyn who have the ability to perform incredibly well. They've got so much potential. They've had to overcome many setbacks including a period of reduced confidence, challenges in the workplace and with their businesses.

Confidence levels can be affected by a change of an environment, economics, job or personal circumstances. Whatever the root cause, often the problem is trying to make a come back on your own. You have a better success rate when you have the right people around you.

In Katelyn's routine, you'll notice at the 10-15 second mark, her team of supporters are in the crowd not only cheering her on but also dancing to her routine. In fact, there's one person who mimics Katelyn's hand movements during the routine. The excitement and energy in the room is infectious.

Find your 15

Almost 50% of executives feel uncertain about their confidence in their abilities to address obstacles for business growth, and one of the biggest contributors is that they haven't got the right people around them.

When you've got the right people around you, you are able to be more authentic and be your best. You're able to be vulnerable when things aren't right and be able to share challenges and learnings. You need a safe space around you to become the best version of you.

Social anthropologist Robin Dunbar has identified the metrics of leaders and tribes that have survived through time.

From Indigenous tribes in Australia to tribes in the Amazon, he identified a metric to ensure that a tribe survives - and not only survives but thrives through the test of time.

That number is 15.

Who are the 15 people around you who are committed to your success? They're the ones who have your best interest at heart and can help you make decisions when you might not be able to. They're the ones you can depend on when you're unsure or struggling to build your confidence along the way.

So, for 2019, my question to you is this - by the end of the year, if you were to hand on heart say that you performed a 'Katelyn Ohashi year', who would be the faces you see while you were performing? Who would be the faces in the crowd cheering you on and celebrating your success? The ones who will support you to the extent where they know your routine because they've seen you do it so many times and truly want to see you succeed.

As Seth Godin said, "a group only needs two things to be a tribe - a shared interest and a way to communicate."

In 2019, who are you going to be? Who are you going to have in your tribe? And how are you going to connect and communicate?

Would love to hear your thoughts.