Pestworld Magazine Focusing on the Business of Pest Management
Ten tips to grow your confidence as a leader
General Douglas MacArthur once said, “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.” Like all great leaders, MacArthur recognized confidence is a cornerstone of effective leadership. This is certainly true when it comes to the pest management industry.
“Leaders in pest management must have confidence in themselves, their company and their industry to be successful,” emphasizes Michael Bullert, president of Big Time Pest Control in Anderson, California.
Ashley Morrison, director of operations for City Wide Exterminating in Charlotte, North Carolina, reflects that sentiment. “People trust confident leaders,” she says. “Confident leaders are able to build strong productive relationships, set clear goals and strategize to lead their teams to success. Their ambition and motivation help companies avoid stagnation and keep moving forward.”
To top it off, Bullert says leaders with confidence are more successful at growing their businesses. “Confident leaders inspire others to believe in the cause and believe in themselves,” he explains, adding that the two go hand-in-hand. “We must remember that confidence breeds success, and success breeds confidence,” he says.
Morrison wholeheartedly agrees. “Confident leaders tend to be more successful in growing their businesses because not only can they make bold decisions, but they also have the courage to implement and monitor the necessary changes,” she says. “Confidence in making decisions and following through helps keep companies innovative and focused.”
In fact, countless studies have shown that confidence at all business levels is vital to a company’s success. For instance, 70 percent of employees who lack confidence in the abilities of senior leadership are not fully engaged, according to a Dale Carnegie Employee Engagement Study. Obviously, a business with disengaged workers will struggle to thrive. On the other hand, a Towers Watson study shows 79 percent of highly engaged employees have trust and confidence in their leaders. (There’s that word again: confidence.)
“As a professional in the pest management business, you have to show confidence from the curb to the door and the entire time you provide the service,” says David Marshall, co-founder and president of Arizona Pest Squad in Tempe. “Our customers are calling on us to resolve pest management issues, and you have to have a high confidence level when you meet with them. You have to be confident in your training and you have to be confident that you can get the job done.”
If you hope to forge a new path and grow your pest management business, it’s crucial to exude confidence every step of the way. Here are 10 tips to help you boost your confidence and lead your troops to success.
