Quote for the Week: “Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Dale Carnegie
"How does a child get enough confidence to walk? You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run.
I believe the biggest problem companies run into is not realizing their employees are human. The have feelings and fears they need to over come. Let them explore in areas that interest them. If they are allowed to "walk" before they "run", falling occasionally along the way, they will find their confidence and do amazing things." Tom S.
"In my opinion, the most important factor in building up the confidence of employees is consistent and constructive feedback. If an employee knows what tasks are being performed well and opportunities for improvement, most will flourish and continue to grow. Similarly, employees that are advised of areas of concern, coupled with meaningful coaching and training, will naturally gain confidence as they learn and adapt.
Consistency is the key. Employees that report to me know that I give consistent feedback with the goals being (a) recognition; (b) encouragement; (c) performance improvement; and (d) continuing training. Another important factor is empowerment. Employees that are empowered to do their jobs consistent with their training, education and experience will more likely than not exude confidence. On the other hand, employees that are second-guessed, hamstrung or -- even worse -- berated for errors will have their confidence sink.
Finally, be accessible to provide answers and training. Employees that know they can ask questions without fear of negative feedback or energy are more likely to do so. When you give answers provide the "why" and not just the "how." If the context is right, provide the critical thinking that you engaged in to provide the answer. Perhaps, the employee will model that same thinking in working future problems." Paul A.
"I have tried to ensure employees understand they can make decisions. If am employee can make a local decision and they will receive the support of management, that goes a long way to building confidence. If the decision was the wrong decision, that's okay, but you need to learn from it.
Also, everyone likes praise. You may feel that the praise is small to you, but to the employee it may mean everything. But don't praise everything as it will loose it's effectiveness. Small victories win the battle." John A