I started my first business in college and began building the internal confidence of my staff members as a by-product of doing so.
It occurred to me that if I were to build a company that was strong and successful, I would need to provide my staff with the resources and guidance they needed to make the transition from employee to leader.
For my company, our most senior staff members needed to be capable of performing their job without guidance, as their perspective was crucial in the success of our business.
I didn’t know if I was capable of teaching others to take ownership over their own careers, but I knew I wanted to make an effort, especially since I did not have another manager in the immediate management team.
As we moved through our first year, I noticed that we were able to hire talented people who wanted to grow.
I was starting to realize that even though I was not a manager in the traditional sense, I could still play a key role in guiding staff members.
The trick was to ensure that we were utilizing the resources and support our employees had available.
Over the past decade, I have started multiple businesses
I have managed thousands of employees, the entire staff of many different companies, and the entire staff of the organization that was acquired by my current employer.
While these experiences have certainly taught me a great deal about building and sustaining a successful business, I have also learned a great deal about building and sustaining the internal confidence of staff members.
There are many reasons why good leaders and employees have confidence in their work. First, it can help with loyalty.
When your employees have internal confidence, it tends to trickle down into their personal lives.
This confidence can lead to a decreased need for constant validation, a decrease in interpersonal conflicts, and a greater sense of personal fulfillment.
However, if your staff is not confident in their own abilities, the majority of this will be lost as a result of your leadership
While many factors contribute to an organization’s success, lack of confidence is often at the forefront of your failure to deliver.
As we are constantly exposed to news stories about individuals who took themselves to jail to achieve a greater purpose, the importance of an employee’s internal confidence becomes clear.
When they find their work meaningful and worthwhile, they are motivated to give their best efforts to succeed.
When they have confidence in their own abilities, they can thrive in their roles, and they can create a dynamic workplace that continually advances the company forward.
While it may seem intuitive to feel comfortable investing in your employees, there are some specific tips and tricks that I believe are critical to developing the confidence of your employees, especially if you do not have another manager in the immediate management team.
Establish a vision of your company and the employees that will deliver on it
While leadership and managing will inevitably require different levels of experience, this does not mean that there is no value in becoming familiar with the various roles that your staff members will assume as you move forward.
The first step is to establish a shared vision for the company, and then you can begin to see what specific roles you are looking to fill.
Many leadership consultants believe that there are essentially four ways in which an individual can find fulfillment in their role.
Self-discovery
Self-discovery is often an act of discovery within oneself.
These individuals come to understand that they have not only the right but the responsibility to make their own personal transformation.
As a result, they see themselves as capable of growing as an individual and as a leader, and they will strive to achieve their potential.
Cooperation
Many people have jobs where they feel as though they must be aggressive and act as leaders.
These individuals often go to great lengths to ensure that their personal lives are, in fact, performing as required.
Consistency
This individual knows their role and their job inside out.
They do not spend a great deal of time exploring what they might want out of life.
They find fulfillment and success through their roles as a result of a deep commitment to excellence.
Priority
This individual has a defined role that can only be fulfilled by their skills, but they also find fulfillment in seeking out the best in others and being part of a dynamic group.
These individuals are enthusiastic about the prospect of learning and doing new things.
You must use the above approach to help you determine what role each employee should play in the company, and then you can begin to figure out how to best support the person’s desired professional growth.
However, do not force anyone into a role.
I feel that sometimes an individual will come to me and feel as though they need to be someone else, and I tell them that if they truly want to grow, they will need to take the initiative and begin to explore what role they are best suited to to to play.
In other words, you are not being selfish if you take steps to ensure that you are the best leader you can be, and your employees will benefit from this, as well.
