7 Ways to Instill Confidence in Those Who Lack Boldness
Treating people like losers tends to cause them to act like losers. The power of a respected leader is their ability to help others believe in themselves.
People who believe they matter tend to act like they matter.
Respected leaders have the power to infuse confidence in others. When you help someone believe they matter, you expand potential, theirs, yours, and the team’s.
7 ways to instill confidence in those who lack boldness:
#1. Extend respect. When people you respect treat you like you’re not the knucklehead you think you are, it causes you to hold them in high regard and fills your heart with confidence.
#2. Speak hard truths. Shielding people says you believe they’re incompetent. The foundation for tough conversations is a big heart. Point out poor performance with compassion and forward-facing curiosity.
Backward-facing beat-downs seldom lift potential.
#3. Use the magic words, “Next time.” Ask, “What will you do differently next time?”A track record of incremental success builds confidence.
#4. Be an accountability partner. Make commitments to each other. Follow-through bolsters confidence.
Inaction increases fear.
#5. Stand with people as they press through fear.
Confidence comes after you press through fear, not before.
#6. Provide a safety net. Ask, “What could we put in place that would make you comfortable moving forward?” First steps provide confidence for next steps.
#7. Give them a copy of, “Presence,” by Amy Cuddy.
Failure as a confidence building tool:
The need to succeed without falling short produces insecurity.
Transform failure into a tool of learning and growth.
- Demystify failure. Share your foibles. Reaching high always includes falling short, at least in the beginning.
- Honor responsible failure. Preparation is central to responsible failure. Irresponsible failure happens when someone doesn’t bring their best to the challenge.
How might leaders instill confidence in those who lack boldness?
“How might leaders instill confidence in those who lack boldness?”
Maybe by not have something like “Exactly right, first time, on time, every time” as the organisational expectation. In places like that responsible failure is an oxymoron.
Thanks Mitch. You would hope that when something is new or a stretch assignment that less than perfect would be expected.
How might leaders instill confidence in those who lack boldness?
Remember the non-verbal basics along with the above sage advice; smile as appropriate, maintain (caring) eye contact, lean-in as appropriate, and do all this in a non-threatening environment (at a table, same side of desk, seated F2F, etc.). Also, intermittent, informal follow-up reminds one of your commitment (an encouraging word while passing the hallway, etc.). Personally, this strategy was tremendously affirming.
AMEN DAN! Boldness and discomfort, truly they are joined at the hip.
What I unfortunately see all to often is boldness defined as a new idea or new way to accomplish a task. Get like minded people around a table and this new idea gets rave reviews and everyone is on board. Why is everyone on board? They are comfortable in the new plan. Don’t invite those that may have a contrary point of view or who may create discomfort. In this context boldness missed the bus.
Boldness requires alternate points of view. Boldness welcomes the naysayer. Boldness explores all options. Boldness treads where people are scared to go. Boldness sleeps with vulnerability.
Thanks very much!
Thanks for the ideas and encouragement. I’m a master teacher and I’m working with mentor teachers to help build a culture of respect and mutual trust in our building. We stress that we want our students to have multiple opportunities to learn from failure, in order to ultimately succeed. The same must be true of our teaching staff! When visiting classrooms we try to reinforce that we are simply a new lens that can help teachers see things they might miss while they are in the moment of instructing and providing feedback. Your leadership ideas have been inspiring our leadership team meetings!