In these uncertain economic times a leadership trait that often separates the survivors from the rest becomes glaringly obvious: the ability to inspire confidence.
If you’re a leader in your work, your industry, even your home…the ability to inspire confidence when all else around you is not going well….is a hallmark of true leadership.
Observing some leaders, you might get the idea that playing the “ain’t it awful” game increases your effectiveness or your popularity. But nothing could be further from the truth.
Simply put, people follow leaders who are willing to both tell the unvarnished truth and can paint a picture of hope for the future.
And…if you ask confident leaders, they’ll reveal to you that inspiring confidence in others is also a way they build their own sense of confidence. In other words, it’s self-reinforcing.
So, here are five ways to inspire confidence and gain the advantage that comes with it:
1 — Keep reminding your people why the work you do is important, needed and wanted in this world.
Anxiety grows when people become disconnected to why they are doing their work. Re-ground them and remove this waste of productivity.
2 – Focus your business on improvement—making the client/customer experience even better
When you’re busy investing in making things better, it’s hard to hold the idea that things are also getting worse.
3 — If you have to make hard choices, explain how the results, although painful, will make you stronger
Often business leaders forget to explain the why. But if you can make the case, do so. And your people can then buy into your choices.
4 – Continue to point out the knowledge, skills and abilities your people posses.
Even when circumstances are getting worse, or not getting better, it’s helpful and inspiring to remember that what we have as individuals is still useful and valuable. Remind them of how much you have going for you, and to offer the marketplace.
5 – Choose a few things to GROW or invest in, even if you are making cuts or more conservative choices elsewhere.
Figure out where a few dollars or a little more time can be invested strategically that will have the greatest impact. Send the signal that your business is growing and progressing, even if it is pruning, or operating in some difficult times.
A final bonus: remind yourself why you’re doing this work and why it’s important to you. If you can’t remember, ask your spouse or partner or friends what you used to say.
If you see inspiring confidence as one of your primary roles as a business leader, your people and your organization will have in you, a leader that might actually see them through the fog
(This post was previously published in the August 2010 issue of Business Leader http://www.businessleader.bz/ ).
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Written by Tom Plake
Topics: Leadership