How can you ensure retail sales associates are confident and comfortable in their roles?

Other then the leader demonstrating himself and leading from front , fostering a collaborative environment where every sales associates can share knowledge, support one another, and learn from each other's experiences can boost confidence and morale. Encourage teamwork by creating opportunities for peer mentoring, knowledge-sharing sessions, and team-based incentives would further ensure the collaborative learning impact is strengthened and the sales associate gain confidence

Once clear targets are established one should also have a way to track those targets and breakdown monthly targets into smaller achievable daily targets that will encourage them to sell more

For this you have to train the repsentatives well, the clearly define expectations and provide accurate and timely feedback.

Encouraging autonomy and empowerment in employees can be done by setting clear expectations, providing necessary resources, and creating an environment of trust. Begin with clearly defining roles and responsibilities, so each employee understands their tasks and the standards they're expected to meet. Provide the tools, training, and resources needed to perform their job effectively. Encourage decision-making at all levels, allowing employees to take ownership of their work. Foster a culture of open communication where employees feel comfortable sharing ideas and feedback. Recognize and reward initiative and innovation, reinforcing the value of autonomy in the workplace.

Creating a positive environment is one of the most important factors when ensuring your employees are confident and comfortable. Happy employees are more productive employees and that stems from the environment they are working in. It is also important for there to be support available whenever it is needed. The support should be helpful, constructive and positive.

Once leader himself/herself can demonstrate what they expects others to deliver for their expanded results , which will generate confidence in front-liners and they are sure that someone is there watching their back and and are reliable & trustworthy for task related extraordinary support

Lead by Example. It is very important for members of your team to see that you are just as committed to being successful as you expect them to be. As a leader, you set the tone for the success or failure of your business. You have to let your team know that you value them and empower them to make decisions. Ask for them to provide input on tasks. Make them feel more invested in the business and they will want to succeed.