Welch's 21 Steps to Management Greatness - 19
Instill Confidence
Jack Welch believed the prescription for winning in business was speed, simplicity and self-confidence.
He considered the foundation of those three the creating of a confident workforce, where simplicity - and thus speed - would emerge and thrive.
Welch said: "Just as surely as speed flows from simplicity, simplicity is grounded in self-confidence."
What is so important about people being confident in Welch's estimation, was that confident people were secure people, and secure people are open to ideas that come from any source.
Just as important, a confident, secure person will also not hold back information - which is vital to the success of any company. Information or data hoarded can be the difference between success and failure in a business.
It is receptivity to ideas and sharing them that is the cornerstone to success in today's business climate. And confidence within our people is the key to receiving and sharing ideas.
We instill confidence by trusting our people. When we make decisions on what is needed, we then need to get out of the way and let them go.
The victories they obtain and projects they complete will be a continual source of building confidence, trust and success.
That and giving an endless stream of praise for jobs well done is the simple action we take to ensure a confident work force.
Sure, we occasionally check up on them to let them know we are aware of their work, and to ensure it's going to stay on track and on time, but the commitment to building their confidence will pay off over and over again as information is received and disseminated throughout the organization, and the very best ideas are grabbed and applied.
Instilling confidence in our people may be one of the most underrated elements of business success by leaders. It's the foundation of just about everything in a business as it relates to our people and interacting with information and responding with speed.
It was one of Jack Welchs' great secrets in running General Electric (GE) successfully across countries and continents.
Other Jack Welch Resources:
Jack Welch's advice to MIT Sloan students
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