Business Building Corner

Coaching can grow your business

Martin Zwilling, founder and CEO of Startup Professionals, writes in Forbes magazine that in his experience with entrepreneurs, those that have low self-esteem tend to overcompensate through arrogance. He adds that those who find it hard to respect customers or team members usually fail at their ventures.

People with healthy self-esteem perform at their best and treat others with respect, which in turn motivates them to also do their best, according to organizational change expert Paul Meshanko in his book, "The Respect Effect." He explains how people shut down when disrespected but that we can train ourselves to get back on track and stay there.

Paul Meshanko provides eight steps to help build business self-esteem:

  1. Identify the qualities and skills most closely linked to your idea of success. Current research is conclusive that self-esteem is linked to our sense of competence in the areas that are important to us. As you look at your business building goals, make sure you are following your own definition of success Identify your current strengths and plan to improve. Once you have clarified your personal definition of startup success, examine where you currently are relative to where you want to be.
  2. Be on the lookout for new opportunities to grow your talents and experiences. Part of our sense of self-worth comes from the belief and confidence that we have the ability to grow the business both today and in the future. Try new things each day to stretch those abilities.
  3. Identify and redirect unhealthy competition and comparisons. Your sense of worth should not be determined by other business builders, or what you think your peers expect of you. Competition sabotages teamwork and leaves feelings of isolation and alienation. Use others as a source of inspiration, rather than envy.
  4. Forgive yourself for past mistakes and poor decisions. From a rational point of view, berating ourselves for past business failures makes no sense. Free up your energy to be spent on more productive activities, and learn from past efforts.
  1. Hold yourself completely accountable for your actions, decisions, and outcomes. The legitimate place for short-term guilt and remorse is making these lead to some type of behavior change.
  2. Develop a pattern of self-talk that validates your worth and abilities. Each of us has developed a way of interpreting and explaining the business world around us. It’s important that our stories neither damage us nor free us from blame. We should continue to feel worthy, accountable, and capable, with a mindset that allows us to continue to follow our entrepreneurial passion.
  3. Focus on what you can control, not what you can’t. Our short-term destiny is not always in our control, but we can commit to doing our best wherever we are. We can also make sure we build strong relationships with successful business leaders in advance of needing their wisdom.

For each entrepreneur or business builder, a healthy self-esteem is critical to success. Remember—respect yourself, your team and your customers and your LifePharm business will grow!