“Experience tells you what to do. Confidence allows you to do it.”— Stan Smith
When asked about what makes them successful, nearly every professional athlete, author, actor and entrepreneur has one trait in common: confidence. Regardless of the profession, experts often discuss how confidence is an essential quality that empowers them to take risks, challenge the status quo, push past adversity, or get up and try again. Confidence can feel like an elusive, innate personality trait when, in reality, it is the result of effort, focus and action. When cultivated within a team or organization, confidence increases productivity, improves communication, enhances respect amongst team members, boosts employee retention, enriches customer relationships and drives business success.
Four Types of Workplace Confidence
Confidence within an organization comes in four different essential forms: confidence in leadership, confidence in the team, confidence from your clientele and confidence in oneself. Mastering each of these takes a different approach, but, when combined, can empower a business to achieve great results.
1. Confidence in leadership.
Leaders set the tone for the culture of the organization. When leaders are transparent with their employees, stakeholders and partners, it results in a relationship founded on trust and mutual respect. The effect inspires faith in the company’s mission, vision and strategies. Achieving this goal requires open internal communication that encourages frequent, mutual feedback about a full spectrum of topics. For instance, transparency involves sharing not just successes but also challenges and failures, such as particularly difficult client projects or internal operational challenges. By sharing lessons learned and the tactics implemented to overcome obstacles, leaders can encourage employees to approach challenges with confidence, knowing that their leader supports their growth. This type of openness fosters trust among employees, making them feel valued and empowered. Leaders who inspire confidence create an atmosphere where employees are more likely to take calculated risks and push the boundaries of creativity, ultimately benefiting the business.
2. Confidence in colleagues.
Whether your organization is small or large, local or global, a team that is able to rely on each other is the cornerstone of a successful business. Confidence in your colleagues is built on several pillars including effective communication, clear and identifiable roles, visibility and accountability of projects, and a balance between autonomy and collaboration. Leaders and managers play a significant role in putting these pillars in place, but their success depends on buy-in from every team member. It’s essential to commit to frequent communication and offer avenues for collaboration by using tools that are easy to access and utilize for all employees. When employees trust their colleagues, it not only results in successful products or services but also fosters a sense of accomplishment and unity among peers.
3. Confidence from prospects and customers.
Customer relationships are one of the most important factors of a successful business. The decision to purchase products or services hinges on the prospect’s belief that your organization can deliver genuine value. Prospects and customers who experience consistency, respect and satisfaction have confidence that a company will continue to deliver results over and over again and even refer potential buyers to you. When you communicate your value proposition to your target audiences through words in the form of blogs, articles, videos, webinars and podcasts and deeds, you reinforce your corporate distinction and reason to do business with your company, building trust with target audiences.
4. Confidence in yourself.
A study by Dale Carnegie Training found that confidence was the emotion that most empowered employees value, meaning their performance, engagement and creativity increased. Self-confidence requires a degree of internal introspection, but can also be nurtured through training, education, access to resources, appropriate tools, and effective communication. When employees feel equipped to handle challenges and have the necessary support, their self-assurance grows, leading to improved performance and innovative thinking.
An Investment that Delivers Returns
Confidence isn’t just a feeling; it’s a game-changing—yet highly elusive—skill that is honed over time by trying, failing and learning. When organizations create a culture of confidence, they empower employees to perform at their best, collaborate effectively and cope with challenges. Confidence is infectious and a culture of confidence propels individuals and businesses forward. When we actively cultivate this invaluable asset, rather than expect it to exist naturally, it’s possible to achieve remarkable results.
