Decisions without Confidence are excuses in disguise

Today’s article is the second part of two with contributions form Carly Harrod. This is the last segment of a detailed exploration of the performance attributes that make up PerformanceIQ®. The attributes and the system are used at AMC LLC as a foundation for all our coaching packages and sessions. The associated assessment system provides us with many measured details across 12 attributes. Carly and I looked at confidence and found the following aspects, including cultural influence and business applicability. Carly’s contributions are shown in italic.

Wikipedia states that, confidence is generally described as a state of being certain, either that a hypothesis or prediction is correct, or that a chosen course of action is the best or most effective given the circumstances. Confidence can be described as a subjective, emotional state of mind, but is also represented statistically as a confidence level within which one may be certain that a hypothesis will either be rejected or deemed plausible.

It is difficult to understand the nature of confidence and the elements that surround the attribute.  Why are some people more confident in themselves and their abilties than others?  How can two siblings who were raised in the same circumstances differ when it comes to their level of confidence? It is natural for me to look at confidence in terms of a sociological standpoint. Does the environment effect one’s confidence? Does family? Friends? School? What are the determing factors in developing confidence in a person and how does this translate for people when they are in the business world?

When researching the attribute of confidence and how one builds a strong and healthy confidence, it is argued that experiences and people cultivate one’s level of confidence. Confidence is cultivated from infancy, as one successfully masters skills and tasks during developmental years. As one continues to complete more difficult tasks confidence will continue to be strengthened and increase. As researchers have concluded, it is the lack of completion of these tasks and lack of encouragement that has created the stage for people’s low confidence.

When analyzing this phenomenon more depply we have found that the lack of encouragement seems to be the root of the problem. The failure to master a task or skill nor the failure of achieving a goal that included risk, is really what fosters the development of low confidence – and often low motivation. The lack of encouragement makes individuals afraid to try again. In may cultures aggressive language by parents when the child is failing, has created a mess, or didn’t perform as the parent envisioned in a sport leaves permanent scares in the minds of the children. They develop stress when challenged, a fear of failure, and become shy when meeting new people.

Despite the knowledge that confidence is built beginning from infancy, little has been determined about the effect of one’s cultural background on the level of confidence.
Does a person’s nationality contribute to the level of self-confidence? It is difficult to say, as there is minimal research that has been done on the topic in this context.  Iit can be argued that race does have an effect on one’s confidence, though only remotely. 

Similar to the theory that single-sexed classrooms help to improve confidence, an argument can be made towards same race classrooms.  Being around your peers and others similar to you, creates an atmosphere of acceptance, which allows confidence and growth to flourish.   Since races vary drastically it would be difficult to argue that it is just one’s ethnicity that contributes to success.  Rather the acceptance of our peers at all levels and throughout all races seems a more plausible confidence builder. 

The beauty of low confidence is that it does not need to be a permanent condition.  Confidence can always change and grow; confidence is not permanently stuck in the state that it originally started in.

When people approach us about issues I their business and their success, we try to determine if their confidnece is high or low. Individuals with high confidence wuld be described as “self-sufficient”, “realistic”, “determined”, “self-assured”, “creative”, “imaginative”, “responsible”. If confidence is low, lack of “motivation”, “fortitude”, “self-regard” come to mind, often combined with a self-critical attitude.

Differentiating between these two groups of description is not enough. There actually is a state we call “false confidence”, that can be deciving. In this state, people are often  very controlling, have a tendency to micromanage their subordinates, show significant levels of skepticism, and like to make frineds with others who have a lot or all of the same attributes. In the mindsd of these individuals things are going well, especially when they feel all is under control. Though this mighth be true for some time, the real underlying issue is a lack of tgrust and confidence.

As ong as a person, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or age only does and direct things thata re known and follow canned processes, the appearance of confidence and success seems assured. Real confidence appears when one knows about inherent abilities and allows for cahllenges and the opportunity to take risks. Confidence and self esteem come from trial and error. When the numebr of cases in which you try and succeed is higher than that in which you fail, cofiudence and motivation build. If you never try anything unfamilair or new and cahllenging, you might thing you are confident and secure, but you are really I denial of the fear of failure.

Coaching and mentoring can be great ways to overcome false confidence and being stuck in a recurring process of known steps. There is a great, unexplored world out there. Those that learn to be ambitious, motivated to achieve challenging goals, and confident that they can get back up when something goes wrong, will be the future leaders of the world.

Carly Harrod, co-author

Axel Meierhofer, President AMC LLC