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The Virtuous Circle of Competence and Confidence

If a person appears to lack confidence, other people may wrongly assume they are lacking in competence too. Therefore, it is important to project confidence at all times. (Duration 3:09)

Lesson Summary:

There is a direct relationship between competence and confidence in your career and business, but it’s often difficult to see for yourself. It is important to project confidence if you want your business/career to progress – it’s not enough to rely on your skills alone. This is particularly true for many women. If you’re competent in something, your confidence will rise accordingly. Some people associate confidence with being egocentric or arrogant; however, there are different levels of confidence, such as being assertive about your views, that can be positively portrayed in the business world. If you fail in a task, try not to let it overshadow your competence and ultimately your confidence for future business: everyone makes mistakes at some point.

Ideas for Implementing:

Help yourself progress by being confident in your ability; make a list of your skills, expertise and experiences. Remind yourself of your positive attributes and achievements. If you believe your competence is being questioned by colleagues, ask them directly whether they think you are lacking in confidence.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Consider how you may be portraying yourself to colleagues, prospects, clients and others in business. Are you coming off as confident and therefore competent? What strategies do you use to pick yourself up after a confidence crisis?
2. Can you think of any times where your confidence was lacking and it affected how you were perceived in competence?
3. What are your thoughts on the competence/confidence virtuous circle?
4. Do you think people judge others on their confidence more than their competence?
5. Do you think your colleagues view you as a confident person?