That is a broad question – how important is confidence? Let me narrow it down just a bit – how important is confidence at work? Now that we have framed the question, let’s create a useful answer for you. In short, it is more important than you may realize.
I could share research to help you answer the question, but instead I want you to do some personal research. Think about a time in your life when you had a healthy level of confidence. Once you have determined a time/situation, think about the results you achieved after the event or situation.
- How was your stress level?
- What did your results look like?
- And how much of a role did your confidence have in those results.
I bet I know the short answers to these questions:
- Manageable or good.
- Good or excellent.
- Quite a bit.
When We Don’t Have Confidence
When we don’t feel confident about a situation, we generally approach it with timidity, caution, and perhaps anxiety. We wonder and worry about what will happen and how we will perform.
Think about it: How many of those things will help you be more effective in any endeavor?
When We Are Confident
When we are confident, we experience the opposite of many of the things just mentioned. This is true for just about any situation, but especially at work. First of all, you are more willing to try something. This can be pretty important if there is something at work you really need to do. Beyond that, you will have greater mental fitness.
- Less stress. Some amount of stress can be helpful. But generally speaking, when you feel less stress, you are better able to perform.
- Less fear. The fear may be of failure, of looking bad, or any other factor. Fear tends to immobilize us, keeping us from operating and thinking clearly and effectively.
- Less performance anxiety. When we are confident, we are far more likely to be mentally present as we perform, which helps perform better.
Aside from the mental benefits of greater confidence, there are physical benefits as well. Greater confidence will help you achieve better, higher quality, more consistent results at work. This kind of improvement can launch your confidence/competence loop, netting you even greater results in the future.
To build effectiveness, we often focus on skills and experience, both of which are of course important. Building confidence at work can also mean improved effectiveness, better work product, and less stress and anxiety.
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