My coach Dan Sullivan (thestrategiccoach.com) says that the primary job of entrepreneurs is to protect their confidence. I wish the TV business show hosts had a coach like Dan! It is truly hard to remain confident in the face of the economic gloom-and-doom that bombards us daily.
But if you’re an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, a salesperson, or anyone else growing a business or business-like organization, I think you deep-down believe that confidence matters. Our families, emplyees, clients and customers, philanthropic organizations–in some measure what all of them seek from us confidence. Reassurance that we know how to sail through these waters and belief that we will stay off the rocks is what keeps them pulling together.
Why? Because that’s our job. We’re the ones that put ourselves on the line and say “let’s do this” or “let’s not do that.” People count on us to know what to do next.
We earn confidence by planning, learning, seeking to understand, and keeping our team close. It’s not an automatic–we have to work at it.
The confidence and bravery of the Inuit whale hunters–coupled with their preparation–depict a fine model for modern business leaders. Whatever trials we are facing pale in comparison to the actual whale hunting.
So as we prepare to navigate the rough waters of 2009, let’s raise a toast to confidence!
