Today we are going to talk about something that is equally important in parenting and leading – the act of creating confidence.
Another important component of your role as a leader is the ability to lift the confidence of your people and remove fear of failure. Fear can lead to mind-numbing paralysis among some very capable people. The best way to remove fear is by showing, without a doubt and at every opportunity, that you believe in your people and their capacity to develop. This requires you to emphasize the following truths:
- Everyone fails at times.
- Failure can lead to growth and improvement.
- Success requires risk.
- Simple mistakes do not constitute failure.
- It’s essential to learn from mistakes and move on.
To become an authentic leader, you will need to focus – without fail – on building confidence and self-esteem. You can only become a source of inspiration for your people by demonstrating constant support for and participation in their working lives.
I remember a time when a leader reporting to me made a mistake that would potentially cost our company $200,000. At the meeting with me, he expected to be fired. I asked what he had learned from this experience, and he listed a number of things that he would do differently next time. These recommendations were well thought-out, and showed the experience had been valuable to him. He waited for my reaction, and then asked if I was going to terminate him. I asked him, “Why would I fire a valuable employee when we have just invested a huge amount in his learning?”
What are your tips?
Best regards
Ken Wright
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