Believe in People More Than They Believe in Themselves.

One of the most powerful ways for leaders to impact the lives of people is to believe in people more than they believe in themselves. The first step in believing in people is to see them as a precious treasure waiting to be fully discovered. As Ken Blanchard so aptly said:

“Everyone you meet is a potential winner; some are disguised as losers. Don’t be fooled by their appearances.”

I was a young, naïve, wet-behind-the-ears, energetic 28-year-old ready to take on the challenges of being the director of personnel for an organization of 125 people. To complicate matters, I had very little self-confidence and found myself struggling daily with feelings of inadequacy. Fortunately, my energy and enthusiasm made up for most of my lack of experience and ignorance.

Unfortunately, these feelings weren’t new. I’d been living with them since I was a young troublemaker in elementary school. (I decided negative attention was better than no attention at all and my grades certainly weren’t gaining me much positive attention). Here I was in a position of responsibility, and it seemed everyone around me had wonderful talent, exceptional insights, and seemingly incredible knowledge that I lacked. Poor me!

Bob was my executive director, mentor, and friend. Driving to an out-of-town meeting one day, I was lamenting all of my shortcomings, weaknesses, and inferiority while bemoaning the fact I didn’t have what others had. Then, it happened. Bob said something I’d never heard before. “Glenn, I believe in you. That’s why I hired you. When are you going to start using the abilities you have and quit comparing yourself to other people? You have talents they don’t have. It’s time for you to make a difference. I expect impressive results.”

No one had ever communicated their belief in me quite that way. It was personal, direct, and sincere. Bob backed it up with support, direction, correction, encouragement, and a periodic kick in the pants. He complimented me in public. He corrected me in private. He let me know he expected great things from me and gave me the freedom to implement new ideas, make tough decisions, and nurture a culture that was right for people.

My experience must be exactly what Sam Walton was referring to when he said:

“Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”

“Glenn, I believe in you” transformed my life. I’m convinced we can help people achieve new levels of performance by believing in them more than they believe in themselves. I’ve experienced it! I’ve lived it! And, I’m convinced believing in people is a critical tool in the leader’s tool chest. 

I fully endorse the great historian and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson’s belief that if we “treat people greatly they will show themselves great.”  

Questions to Ponder:

How can you go about expressing your belief in people?

How can you treat people “great?”

Who is waiting to hear you say, “I believe in you?”