Do you have low confidence? Or, do you have a team member that is suffering from low confidence? Low confidence is a killer to success. The emotional and financial impact of low confidence tends to outweigh talent.
Here are some interesting facts about the hard cost of low confidence according to the Forbes Article: How Low Self-Esteem Can Cost You The Job
- Experts say that people with low self-esteem engage in subconscious behaviors that undermine their success.
- We make assumptions about people who exhibit behaviors of low self-esteem, says Frankel. We may ascribe lower intelligence, even though that’s not true.
The need for strong self confidence in the residential service world is absolutely critical. All positions, from the CSR to the Service Technician must exude confidence to build value, and march through objections.
The impact of low confidence can be financially devastating to your revenue, and to the personal pay of your team members. Not wanting any of you to produce at less than your potential, I have a list of easy to implement confidence boosters.
7 confidence boosters your team desperately needs
#1 Define Key Results Areas
Clearly defined KRA’s answer the question, “I’m a doing a good job?” Oftentimes the source of low confidence stems from a misunderstanding of performance and responsibilities. KRA’s can quickly resolve this issue. If you need an example of a KRA, then you can GET YOUR KRA HERE. Just fill in the form on the left and we will send it to your.
#2 Train on Processes and Technical Skills
Some states have very strict mandates regarding the licensing of technicians and plumbers. In Texas, there is a long licensing process for plumbers. This process takes several years, and results in a technically skilled plumber. There are expectations of course.
However, the HVAC Technician in Texas has to do nothing more than get a license that assures he understands the EPA’s rules on handling refrigerant. The certification hardly makes him a technician. The end result is that there are many technicians that are not well trained, and therefore they have poor confidence. You can fix that with great technical and process training.
#3 Strengthen Sales and Objection Skills
If you are scared of sales or objections, then you will have a tough time with confidence. A quick fix to boosting a highly technically person’s confidence is to boost their communication skills.
As Lee Iacocca said, “You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t communicate them, they will get you nowhere.”
#4 Establish a “No Gossip” Policy
The best definition of gossip I have ever heard comes from Dave Ramsey, “You are gossiping if the person you are talking to about your problems can’t fix your problems.”
- Here are the devastating impacts of gossiping as I see it:
- Gossiping spreads negativity and rumors
- Gossiping puts divides between you and the people that can help you.
- Gossiping deludes your motivation.
#5 Encourage an Environment of Open Communication
Sometimes people gossip because they are afraid of how you will react, or what you will do with their confidence. Explain the difference between positive communication and gossiping, and then invite your people to be open with you.
#6 Praise Your Team
Genuine praise goes so far. One of the simple exercises I will run with my clients is to have them go around the room and praise someone else. It works great, if the following things are included in the praise session:
- Specificity: clearly communicate the thing of praise with details. “Julie, I think you provide the friendlist client greeting. You can always make an upset client happy. Like the time you helped Mrs Smith.”
- Eye Contact
- No “buts.” A praise session is just that, it is not a correction session. Avoid the “but…”
#7 Boost the Leader’s Confidence
The team is watching the leader. The team mimics the leader. If the leader is confident, the team will be confident. So, boost the leader’s confidence to boost everyone’s confidence.
We all know that confidence building isn’t an overnight fix, but getting started is always the first step. So if you can fix several of your company problems with confidence boosters, why not?
