How can you build your confidence as a CEO, investor or entrepreneur?
It can be hard to stay on top when the world crumbles beneath you. Overwhelm doesn't even begin to justify the struggle of a CEO's daily existence. Add on a global pandemic on top and it can get a little messy.
In a recent study, we found that leaders are less confident when they obsess about things they can’t control, rather than take action in the areas they can control.
The Wall Street Journal reported the results of this Conference Board survey (Jan. 16, 2019) of what is on the mind of 800 CEOs.
External Hot-Button Issues
- Recession
- Global trade
- Politics
Internal Hot-Button Issues
- Attracting and retaining top talent
- Disruptive technologies
- Developing the next generation of leaders
What this survey says to me is this: it’s good to be aware of issues that are outside of your control – recession, global trade, and politics. But it’s even more brilliant to master the things that are within your control – hiring and retaining top talent, developing digital capabilities, and developing the next generation of leaders.
How much confidence do you have in your team?
If you have a high degree of confidence in your team, then keep doing what you are doing to hire and develop your employees.
But if you don’t have a high degree of confidence in your team, then you should focus on hiring, developing, and retaining more of the right people who fit your strategy and who can achieve the results you seek.
How?
Here are 3 ways, or 3 "A's", to inspiring an all-star team:
- Ask - Get a conversation going. See what you can do to improve their work environment. Ask what inspires and motivates your employees and how they would improve things, you'd be surprised what you'll find. You trust these people if they are a part of your Team, so keep them involved with conversations about the company and how things are done. If you don't trust your employees, you need to rethink your hiring strategy
- Admire - Now that we know what our employees want, we can reward them accordingly, well as near as possible. We realize there must be some give and take on what is actually feasible, but be flexible and reward your teams' hard efforts often.
- Aim - As a leader, you must know the amount of income needed to sustain your company and project growth. Share this information with your Team. It may seem like a scary concept, but by letting your employees know what is at stake and what the goals are, everyone is now on the same page. When we're all working toward the same goal, it's can be easier to reach the destination.