Employee self-confidence benefits organisations
Corporate benefits of employee self-confidence
Why employee self-confidence is important
I have heard self-confidence defined many ways, all of them true: it’s a personality trait—ya’ got it or ya’ aint’ got it—it’s an attitude, it’s this magic power you can switch on when needed, it’s this energy broadcast from within, it’s poise, it’s something you hone like a muscle, etc. At its most fundamental, self-confidence is trust in SELF: in one’s powers, in one’s abilities, and in one’s judgment. [Tweet “Not to be confused with always being right.”] Self-confident people can admit they don’t know everything without loosing credibility or clout.
But isn’t there such a thing as TOO self-confident, I’m often asked. Depends. In some cultures, self-confidence rhymes with arrogance to the point that solidly self-confident people default to a show of self-doubt and self-deprecation in public, for fear of appearing arrogant. In other cultures (like the one I come from) self-confidence tends to go hand-in-hand with outspoken, loud, bold, so people resort to extreme vocalizing for the sake of appearing confident. Doesn’t necessarily make them self-confident. [Tweet “Either behavior can backfire if used in a different culture.”]
3 corporate benefits of employee self-confidence
Denise was a savvy financial executive whose career spanned several countries and impressive banks, earning her prestigious board appointments within major associations. On paper, everything about Denise oozed assurance, but in a whisper during our first coaching session, she confessed to lacking self-confidence. What do you mean I asked?
“I’ll do anything to avoid telling someone on my team that they did something wrong. I never speak up, even though I know I should.”
And thus began our conversation on the collateral damage of lack of self-confidence. [Tweet “This is why it’s important for companies to foster employee self-confidence.”]
Benefit # 1: employee self-confidence saves time.
The more confidence you hold in yourself the more legitimate you will feel wanting what you want, the easier it will be to go for it and the smaller the obstacles will appear. Confidence ushers in a sense of possibility transforming what seems daunting (when you’re insecure) into something attainable. Simply put: if you are not confident in your objective you will not inject the requisite energy or determination into pursuing it. [Tweet “You will reap a middling, or unnecessarily belated, result.”] Or none at all.
Benefit #2: employee self-confidence helps close the deal.
This is not news yet it bears repeating. Lack of self-confidence dilutes your credibility or ability to appear convincing in the eyes of your boss, prospective client or investor. This means you risk loosing opportunities left and right, like a promotion, a personal-visibility-raising project, or a new account that could make or break your Christmas bonus. On the premise that closing new business is essential to survival, lack of self-confidence can have a dire effect on your and your company’s bottom line.
Benefit #3: Self-confident employees contribute to healthier teams.
Ever heard the saying A’s hire A’s and B’s hire B’s? I see evidence of this all the time. An insecure manager will rarely seek supremely self-confident direct reports when recruiting. Conversely, it takes a self-confident manager to realise that surrounding herself with self-confident individuals will reflect well on her and on her department’s image.
If you are a manager or team leader, building employee self-confidence is critical, not just for the well-being of the individual, but for the success of the organization.
Contact 3Plus for details about confidence building programs for healthier teams.
