What does it really mean to believe in those you serve? This translates to the confidence we have in others. The ability we have to empower and let go, knowing that even if he/she does not complete the task or perform as we would, it is an opportunity to mentor from a leadership perspective.
Two important aspects of believing in others are as follows. First, the confidence we have in others. Truly believing in others is a challenge, especially when we have been let down in the past. As a leader, it is imperative we set aside any preconceived notions about past experience from anyone we have worked with. Assuming individuals will operate the same is something we will have to overcome. When trained properly, we can have a greater level of confidence the individual will perform as expected. If we take this approach, we will more often realize a benefit as individuals want to succeed and exceed the expectations of their performance. Most often, individuals fall short due to lack of training, obstacles that are in their way, or unintended circumstances that prevent their success.
Second, we must empower others to perform in a similar fashion as we would in that moment. We understand we are all different and put our unique talent into our work, therefore it will never be the same. Truly empowering others creates leaders in the individuals we serve. There is an enormous benefit in creating leaders of our team members. We must understand the context of “leader”, which is not a role, rather it is who the person is in any situation. This leads individuals to take ownership in the team, be more solution oriented, stick with it when times are tough and support the culture ensuring everyone else does as well. Consider a team of individuals that operate from a leadership mindset.
Believing in others is critical to our leadership effectiveness when creating high performing teams. We must establish the highest level of confidence in the ability of others, even when we can do it faster, better, or more effectively. Empowering others, truly empowering their ability to perform will pay off as they step up to lead in their role and “own” their success.
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