There are many important functions of leadership.  That’s why it’s such a tough job.  Leaders are called to keep their people safe, to provide vision, make decisions for the good of the group…and so much more.  It can feel overwhelming.  Leadership is a big job.

In the course of this whirlwind, there is a job of leadership that often gets overlooked.

The 1st job of leadership is to create confidence.

That confidence not only springs from the group feeling safe from harm, but also safe to take risks.  A culture or community that feels confident is willing to invest.  They are willing to invest in themselves but also in projects that will move the community forward.  If they don’t have confidence that everything around them is secure or safe, then they are unlikely to invest in the future.  And in a community where no one is investing in the future, the future crumbles.  That crumbling vision creates a lack of confidence…and the circle moves faster.

On the other hand, when a company or a community does feel confident, the circle can move in the opposite direction.  The table gets set for future success, so a few people invest in it.  Then, as people see these investors’ success, more people want to invest in the future, and confidence builds even further.

While there are many ways to create a culture or community that breeds confidence, there is one way that does not cost a lot of money.  It’s simple.  It’s the job of leadership to continually tell the stories of the people and organizations that are succeeding.  Telling the success stories (over and over and over) shows others in the company or community that people here can succeed.  In fact, they are already doing it!

This might seem trivial…but it’s powerful.

The first job of leadership is to set the table for people to succeed.

The 2nd job of leadership is to tell everyone about it…over and over and over again.

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Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing, a full-service marketing agency located in Ohio.  Learn more about Hasseman Marketing here.  And if you are interested in having him speak at your next event, you can learn more here.