Not Feeling Confident on That New Task at Work? 5 Ways Your Manager Can Help

Confidence is a belief in one’s ability to succeed. It comes from within and must be nurtured. A healthy level of confidence leads to the capacity to overcome fear, which can result in growth and accomplishment.

A low confidence level can come from something as simple as a lack of experience and expertise in a particular subject or task. When this happens, it is necessary to identify the knowledge and skills needed to progress. This is where the support of others comes in.

SLII® from The Ken Blanchard Companies is a partnership model. The leader partners with the direct report in building the person’s confidence while helping increase their competence. How? By providing the appropriate leadership style based on the direct report’s development level on a specific task or goal. When the direct report receives the level of support they need, their confidence in that area increases.

To build a direct report’s confidence on a specific task, a manager should follow these steps, repeating them when needed:

1. Help create clarity on what the direct report wants to accomplish
2. Give specific direction by showing how
3. Let the direct report try to do the task
4. Observe the person’s performance
5. Praise or redirect the direct report based on their performance

How’s your confidence level? Think about your feelings and expectations about your own potential for success, remembering that when people expect to succeed—or fail—they often unintentionally rise or fall to meet those expectations. When you have the discipline to self-assess and the willingness to partner with your manager, coach, or capable colleague to build your competence on new behaviours, your confidence will grow—and your performance will follow suit.