I came across an article with a jaw-dropping statistic and knew it would be a disservice if I didn’t share it with you. According to DDI’s Global Leadership Forecast 2023, only 40% of management see their leaders as high-quality, and only 12% of those surveyed have confidence in their bench. Essentially, leadership confidence is at a decade low—in leaders themselves and within the perspectives of employees. The issues that caused this lack of leadership confidence are still present in today’s workforce and I’m going to offer you 3 strategies to manage them.
What Happens When There’s a Lack of Trustworthy Leadership?
The answer is gloomy but important.
- When leaders don’t trust their own leadership style and abilities it can lead to worry, fear, burnout, and the inability to give their team the proper guidance they need to excel.
- When employees don’t have confidence in their leaders, they will find another job: “57% of employees have left their jobs because they are frustrated with their manager or company leadership.”
This is why having leadership confidence is crucial to the success of everyone within a company.
How to Be a Confident Leader: 3 Strategies
If you’re feeling lackluster about your leadership style and can see the signs of your team losing faith in you, follow these 3 strategies to replenish your confidence and team’s trust.
1. Be Vulnerable
Over the last few years, there’s been a shift in workplace environments. People now prioritize purpose, meaning, and authentic relationships over tick-box tasks. To build legitimate workplace relationships with your team, be vulnerable. Don’t do it for the sake of vulnerability. Rather, have conversations with your employees and listen for similar interests or situations where you can inject your own experiences too. Not only can they learn from you, but when they see that you’re transparent and open with your communication, they will be too, and they’ll feel more comfortable around you. Transparency and comfort then fuel brilliant performance.
2. Address Burnout
I touched upon this slightly in point 1, but people are looking for better conversations at work. They want you to care about them as a human over just an employee. So, instead of stuffing meetings with pure work jargon, touch base on a deeper level and ask your people how they’re doing, what’s new. Prime the environment for healthy venting and dialogue so that you can detect when they’re going through a lot or feeling more exhausted than usual. In turn, this helps you alert your team when they’re on the verge of burnout, and it allows you to discover methods to support them in these times. Employees don’t want to just feel appreciated when they’re at their best, but also when they’re not at their best even if they’re giving their 100% that day.
3. Focus on Brilliant Differences™
As a leader, your job is to be aware of your team’s strengths and ensure they’re playing in the right court. Instead of usual work meetings, it can be helpful to have coach-based meetings where you reflect on what they’ve done well, where they went astray, and how they plan to keep growing and developing. Your team will appreciate that you’re giving them 1-1 time to help them grow and excel in their role while ensuring they’re doing something they enjoy and are meant to do.
Which Leadership Confidence Strategy Will You Choose?
Remember, to replenish leadership confidence in yourself and among your team:
- Be vulnerable. Share experiences and insight.
- Address burnout. Help your team recognize when they’ve reached their limit and what they can do to recover and avoid it.
- Focus on Brilliant Differences™. Help your team hone and grow in their strengths and role.
If you’re looking for more confidence to step into your leadership style while cultivating trust and engagement in your team, I’m hosting an online, 40-minute webinar on April 17, 2024. By the end, you’ll know how to RISE: Retain Talent. Inspire Confidence. Strengthen Leadership. Engage Employees.
