Nurturing Self Esteem

The character of the people defines the culture of the organisation. What we nurture among the people we work with will be reflected in the way they serve the clients. People are the pillars of any strong company. To invest in your team is paramount to business growth which eventually culminates into increased profits.

I once worked for a company where I was less qualified for the job given in terms of academic credentials although I had the necessary competence. The fact that my boss then gave me a benefit of the doubt and staked her faith for me to take up the position, I was motivated to do everything I could not to let her down. Over the years I diligently worked my way up the career ladder because she had given me her vote of confidence. I was eager to learn and indeed much of what I know today regarding running an organisation, I learnt from her. Leadership is more than position, it is the influence we have on the people that we lead.

When I started my first company, I looked out for people that shared my passion and had a desire to learn. Competence is not necessarily equivalent to academic papers more so in the Ugandan education system. Because of the confidence I have in my team, they have grown in their capacities and gone ahead to accomplish many amazing things. Today they have what it takes to run their own companies and to train others to do the same. It took a bit of faith and patience to awaken the giant in them but it has paid off.

If we dare to see beyond the limitations of people, we can bring out the greatness in them. I have great team players not because I out sourced for the best in the market but rather because I spent time nurturing and polishing their confidence, esteem and self-efficacy to match the task at hand.

Our esteem is shaped by the environment in which we grow up. I was raised in an urban slum community and had very low self-esteem in the earlier years of my life but the constant affirmation of my mother and elder sister gave me the confidence I needed to thrive in life in spite of my circumstances. Today I can stand tall and bold because some people took the time to nurture my competencies and confidence. I have taken up the pattern and do the same for every person that I blessed to closely work with, mentor or coach.

Seeing the good in others will give you insight to nurture them to greatness. We should see people for who they can become other than what they are at the moment. We all can become better with consistent encouragement and affirmation. We ought to speak life into the people that we work with and affirm them for the positive attributes they possess. Believing in people unleashes their potential to excel.

Investing in people is one of the keys to business sustainability. Genuinely caring about people is being willing to walk the extra miles with them. Many companies look for the finished product in terms of employees, forgetting someone took time to nurture them and that is where their true loyalty will always be no matter how far they go. You can nurture people to bring out the best in them and you will have left a positive mark on their lives. That is what legacy is all about. Productivity is nurtured by the culture of consistent positive affirmation. 

When you nurture esteem among your staff, you build the competency of your company to excel.