Leaders have always been tasked with the responsibility of employee development. Moving their team forward to hit critical milestones that will make the organization overall more successful. While these programs vary from company to company, many of them lack one important development need, self-esteem.
Caring about how employees perceive themselves as it relates to the job is the silver bullet when it comes to development. A great leader not only cares about the strategy as a team, but also about the individual members and will work to raise the confidence of each.
Confidence has a massive impact on the culture of your company, as well as its bottom line. By making self-esteem a part of the employee development process, you can build a stronger more resilient culture that encourages retention, teamwork, and creative business solutions.
There are three things leaders can do to boost employee confidence:
#1 – Build Strong Teams
Sometimes in social situations, those with low self-esteem will participate less when they are not familiar with the people around them. While you may not mind having a few wall flowers at the company holiday party, this lack of participation can also seep into their daily responsibilities. They may be less likely to seek help or to offer their own.
Help your team get to know each other and encourage collaboration. By building a strong team, members will feel safe about sharing their thoughts and ideas. They will feel less vulnerable and will be more open to acknowledging when they have made a mistake.
#2 – Ensure Project Confidence
We all feel confident when we feel competent. Unfortunately, being competent at your job and feeling competent are two very different things. Those with low self-esteem will devalue their own skill and may constantly ask for guidance because they feel unsure about what is needed.
Throwing an employee into the deep end may build confidence, but only if they don’t drown in the process. It is better to build a framework that will give them support and empower them to take on new challenges without fear.
Let them know that they are talented and smart, and then give them the tools they need to succeed. Depending on the nature of the role, the tools could simply be a set clearly defined expectations or it could require a means to continued education. The idea is to create autonomous employees who trust their own instincts but still feel free to ask for help.
#3 – Cultivate a Positive Environment
The most important factor in boosting confidence in your employees is how you treat them. When people feel respected and valued, they are motivated to go above and beyond. Thankfully value is easy to show through appreciation and attention.
By showing appreciation for everything your employees do, you remind them that their work is important. When you begin to thank your employees regularly, they will in turn thank each other for the work they complete as a team, leading to a more positive environment. One where they continue to build each other’s confidence.
You should also give them your full attention when they voice their opinion. We listen to those we value and ignore those we don’t. By giving them your full attention, you make them feel valued as a person. Praise is another way to give attention but be specific. Those with low self-esteem won’t be as easy to praise. Be as specific as possible and give examples to confirm they know you really mean what you are saying.
A great leader cares about the individual's self-esteem and will work to raise their confidence.
Caring about your employee’s self-esteem can have a massive impact on your company. By saying and doing things to boost their confidence, you will also lift yours. With the right employee development tools, leaders can empower their employees to raise to any occasion.
For more a more personalized self-esteem improvement strategy, register for The Self-Esteem Workshop.
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