Instill Confidence In Your Team As A Servant Leader

If you have ever had problems with being and building confidence in others, I am envious. Confidence is one of those things that you will need throughout life. Whether you are pitching a meeting or lying through your teeth. In addition, as you step into a leadership role, you must instill confidence in your team.

There are two things to unpack here. First, as a new leader, your team may have little to no confidence in you. It’s alright, though. Why wouldn’t they be skeptical of someone who just earned their first team leader or managerial position?

Second thing—servant leaders can sometimes be seen as ‘weak’ or ‘not authoritative enough’ because of the values they uphold. So, if you have always been proud of yourself as a servant leader, your new team may not be as confident in your capabilities.

Both are valid and understandable situations. And while you may want to let your work or results speak for you in the long run, it may take too long. You could lose half your team before any tangible results. Or worse, your team will lose whatever little faith they had by then.

There may be a way to avoid or at least counter those doubtful thoughts in each team member. Yes, you are leading a team with a lot of work to do. However, it is also important to make sure your team is confident in themselves and your leadership.

So, how do you instill confidence in your team as a new or servant leader? Keep reading because if you are leading, confidence is not one of those things you can continue having trouble with right now.

Team Confidence is Rewarding to Them and You

Imagine being a leader who doesn’t have to watch your team’s every move. Sounds awesome, right? This is what happens when you instill confidence in your team. When your team members are confident, you need less oversight.

They trust themselves to do the job well, and you don’t have to spend all your time checking their work. Instead, you can focus on more important things, like planning better strategies and thinking about the big picture. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Confidence also helps your team members speak up. Have you ever felt unsure if you should say something because you doubted yourself? Your team might feel the same way if they lack confidence. When your people are scared to speak up, you miss out on great ideas and might even look like a boss who doesn’t listen.

By instilling confidence in your team, you create an environment where all team members feel safe to share their thoughts. They won’t hesitate to point out bad behavior or come forward with creative ideas. This open communication makes your team stronger and more innovative.

Confident teams are also more resilient and adaptable. They don’t fall apart when faced with challenges. Instead, they believe in their ability to overcome obstacles and find solutions. This belief creates a positive and proactive work environment.

When you instill confidence in your team, they handle setbacks better and bounce back quickly. The resilience makes your team more capable and less dependent on you for every little problem.

Building confidence in your team makes your job easier and creates a more dynamic and successful team.

Instill Confidence in Your Team with These 5 Tips

Lead With Confidence

A team can only be confident with a strong leader. To instill confidence in your team, you need to be confident first. Start by understanding your strengths and weaknesses. Reflect on what you excel at and where you fall short.

Be proud of what you can do; it will really help your self-esteem. Work on improving your weaknesses to build even more confidence. If you’re good at shooting but weak at defense, practice your defense until you get better.

Your team will see your effort and dedication, and it will inspire them to do the same. When they see you leading with confidence, they’ll feel more confident too.

Focus On Helping Your Team Grow

As a servant leader, you’re likely already helping your team members. To instill confidence, focus on helping them learn and grow in areas where they feel unsure. Ask your team what they struggle with and develop solutions for each person. It might be touchy, but it’s necessary.

For example, offer training sessions, send them to conferences, or arrange mentoring and one-on-one coaching. Imagine a team member who’s great at technical skills but poor at public speaking. You turn their weakness into a strength by providing them with public speaking training. It not only boosts their confidence but also strengthens the team.

Celebrate Small Wins

You won’t always be winning big, and that’s okay. Your team might be waiting for a major success to feel happy and confident, but this can hurt their self-esteem if it takes too long.

Instead, focus on celebrating small wins. Big successes are just clusters of small victories. By recognizing and celebrating these small achievements, you can instill confidence in your team.

Consider this: a large bonus at the end of the year is awesome and probably what you look forward to. But it sure does help to get a small monthly salary to keep you going.

Celebrate small milestones, like finishing a project ahead of schedule or coming up with a creative solution. These moments build momentum and keep your team’s spirits high.

Be Supportive

Your team is made up of people with feelings, thoughts, and ideas, and they need connection. To instill confidence, you must support all aspects of them, not just the ones that help the company.

Learn how to listen, get to know them on a personal level, understand their motivations, and learn what really matters to them. It will help you know how to support them better.

In addition, tailor your praise to individual preferences. Some team members might appreciate a paid vacation, while others might enjoy a party in their honor. You help the team members feel valued and confident in their roles by showing genuine care and support.

Encourage Through Mistakes

When someone makes a mistake, the first impulse might be to scold them. However, the employee likely already feels bad, and their confidence and self-esteem may be shaken. If you start yelling, they might suppress their interest in working and become less engaged. Instead, encourage them through their mistakes.

Show them that moving on can be rewarding and that mistakes are chances to learn and grow. This approach cultivates perseverance and problem-solving skills. By handling mistakes with encouragement, you help your team members become more resilient and confident, knowing they have your support even when things go wrong.

A Confident Team Means Success

A confident team needs less oversight, communicates openly, and adapts to challenges with resilience. Think about a sports team: players perform better together when they believe in their skills.

You create a positive environment where confidence can thrive by supporting your team, encouraging them through mistakes, and celebrating small wins.

Remember, your people look to you for direction and assurance. By leading confidently and fostering it in others, you build a strong, capable, and motivated team ready to tackle any challenge.

In short, it pays to instill confidence in your team. So, take the time to make sure you are doing it right.

About Author

Waithira Njagi

Waithira Njagi is a seasoned wellness and relationship content writer with nearly a decade of experience. Her passion for helping others navigate the complexities of personal growth and connection shines through in her engaging and insightful writing.
With a knack for distilling complex topics into easily digestible pieces, Waithira's work is geared toward readers seeking guidance and inspiration on their journey to holistic well-being.
When she's not crafting engaging articles, you can find Waithira curled up with a stack of romance novels– always rooting for love to win– or enjoying quality time with her beloved family. Her dedication to spreading love and positivity is evident in everything she creates.

Waithira is here to remind you that life, much like their stories, is a tapestry of connections - to loved ones, and the endless adventures found in books.