Believe in Them Before They Believe in Themselves

Leaders often wait for competence before giving people the opportunity to grow.

We say:

"Once they're more capable, I'll give them more responsibility."

"Once they prove they can handle it, I'll trust them with it."

"Once they're ready, I'll let them lead."

But that's backwards.

Competence doesn't always come before the opportunity. Sometimes competence is built because of the opportunity.

If you only give people responsibilities they've already demonstrated they can handle, you're not developing them.

You're keeping them in the safest version of their capability.

And your job as a leader isn't to wait until someone is fully capable before giving them more. It's to create the opportunities that help them become more capable.

Stop waiting to see competence. Start creating opportunities to build it.

Coach Dawn Staley has talked about the importance of getting people to believe in what they're doing and in the team around them. She also emphasizes that growth includes both good days and bad days.

That's important because development isn't about expecting people to get everything right. It's about giving them the opportunity to learn, adapt, and get better.

Great leaders don't tell people:

"You can do anything!" and leave it at that.

They say:

"I've watched you do this. I've seen how you think. I've seen how you handle pressure. Here's why I believe you're capable of taking this on."

That's different.

It's belief grounded in what you've observed. And then you give them the opportunity to prove it.

Because you don't build competence by talking about it.

You build it through experience.

You give someone responsibility.
They navigate the challenge.
They learn what works.
They make adjustments.
They get better.

And now they're more capable than they were before.

When you give someone an opportunity to stretch, you give them the experience they need to grow.

They take the meeting they've never led.

They make the decision they've never had to make.

They step into a problem they've never solved before.

They learn.

They adapt.

They get better.

And over time, something important happens:

They build a track record of capability.

The thing they once hadn't done becomes something they've done.

The decision they once needed help making becomes one they can own.

The responsibility that once felt like a stretch becomes part of what they're capable of handling.

That's the real goal.

Not creating people who need you to continually tell them they're capable.

Creating people who have developed the skills, judgment, and experience to know what they're capable of.

That is what leadership development looks like.

Your challenge this week:

Think of one person on your team who is capable of more than they're currently taking on.

Then ask yourself: What opportunity could I give them to build that capability?

Don't just tell them you believe in them. Give them something to practice.

A decision to own.
A meeting to lead.
A problem to solve.
A seat at the table.
A responsibility they've been circling but haven't stepped into.

And when you give it to them, tell them why.

Try:

"I've watched you handle X, and the way you did it tells me you're capable of taking on Y. I don't expect you to know everything yet. I do expect you to figure it out, and I believe you can."

Then give them room to do it.

Don't step in at the first sign of struggle.

Don't take the responsibility back because they don't do it exactly the way you would.

Let them build the competence you're asking them to have.

Don't just tell people you believe in them.

Give them somewhere to put that belief.

That's how capability grows.

And that's how leaders are built.

Who on your team is capable of more, and what opportunity could you give them to build that capability?

Rise Up & Lead Well is about becoming the kind of leader who doesn't just manage performance, but develops people. Get your copy of Rise Up & Lead Well below.