Developing enough self-confidence to hire the best people

One of the main challenges is that even senior-level executives still face insecurities, which create barriers when it comes to recognising and selecting talent. We need to keep working on our own self-esteem as we climb the career ladder to make informed hiring decisions. Even with all the recruitment processes in place, if you’re not confident and secure as a leader, it’s almost impossible to maximise your team’s potential.

What is confidence?

Confidence means being conscious of our abilities and believing that we can succeed in particular circumstances. The feeling of confidence isn’t something we either have or don’t have nor is it necessarily permanent. It’s completely normal for confidence to fluctuate at different stages of our life and career. What’s more, it’s a fallacy to think successful people are the most confident. Many times, we reach the next stage or receive a promotion before we feel ready, taking us out of our comfort zone.

Lack of confidence can also be caused or exacerbated by imposter syndrome, the feeling of inadequacy despite all the signs of outward success. When we feel unworthy of a role or responsibility, it can cause us to experience self-doubt and stop trusting in our abilities.

Building your confidence

The good news is that we can approach confidence like any other leadership skill by putting in consistent effort to improve.

Some things you can do to feel more assured are:

1. Accept your weaknesses: Confidence means having humility and owning the fact that you will never know everything. Acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers can be a huge relief because you’re immediately empowered to make a change by reaching out for support.

2. Work on your mindset: Spend some time understanding what beliefs are eroding your confidence and where they might be coming from. Then, reframe negative self-talk into more encouraging affirmations.

3. Highlight your achievements: Write down your strengths and how they are beneficial to your role. Reflecting on what you have achieved and previous challenges you have overcome is another great way to restore faith in yourself.

4. Keep a folder of positive feedback: If you have received positive feedback, collate it and keep it somewhere where to look over it when you’re experiencing a dip in confidence.

5. Be prepared to practice: Whether it’s presenting, leading meetings, public speaking or having difficult conversations with colleagues, the more you practice, the more proficient you will become.

6. Feel the fear and do it anyway: Don’t become stalled by your fears. If something gives you a sense of dread, tackle it head-on. Overcoming obstacles is the key to building resilience. What’s more, exhibiting a can-do attitude will encourage others to do the same.

The impact of confidence on hiring

It was Apple co-founder Steve Jobs who said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so that they can tell us what to do.” Likewise, many leading business figures have spoken about why we should hire people who are ‘better’ than us. Needless to say, gaining that level of self-awareness takes time. A coach or mentor can be useful to help guide you, reduce negative thoughts, and identify your blind spots.

Once you are comfortable with the inevitability of not being the best at everything, you can focus on hiring staff who fill these gaps without feeling threatened, and encourage them to thrive. Plus, self-belief enables you to dream bigger and set more ambitious goals for the company’s future overall.

With this in mind, it’s not only the applicant who should come under scrutiny during the selection process. Neither is the interview a one-way sales pitch. Be clear where you need additional expertise and consider how the individual can add real value in those areas. Good candidates also need to see why they should work for you; talk about what you have to offer and the role they would play in driving the business forward. The strongest companies are built by leaders who let their employees excel, which means being confident enough to embrace our own flaws.

Aliya Rajah, personal and professional development coach and founder of Coaching with Aliya.