Confidence improves decision making

Confident people have the ability to make fast and frugal decisions under pressure conditions.  People who lack confidence either make slow and ponderous decisions or they are indecisive and therefore often miss out on opportunities.                       

Confidence is a feature of mentally tough people. Through their confidence they develop the ability to prioritise what to do quickly. They decide on a course of action that is line with what their desired outcome and commit to it. They use the ability to thin slice a situation in order to make better quality decisions under fast moving, high stress conditions than their under-confident counterparts. Essentially thin slicing means they do not need all the information in a given situation to make a decision; just a whiff or a sign to recognise the scenario and make the decision. The additional benefit of thin slicing is that they do not end up in a situation where arousal is increased to dangerous levels because they are delaying decisions or even worse making a poor decision – they have made the decision. 

Confidence affects teamwork

Confident people have learnt that very little can be achieved in isolation of others.   When people are confident, teamwork improves and their teams usually experience better results. In high speed team games, like rugby, basketball or soccer, that are filled with split second decisions the quality of these decisions is determined by the confidence of team members in their own ability and the confidence they have in each other’s abilities.  

Getting and giving helps develop confidence

A simple way to develop confidence is through using a role model who knowingly or unknowingly acts as a helping hand to guide your decisions. You may take it further by having a formal relationship with a mentor who you regard as experienced and wise. This relationship usually involves getting advice and guidance resulting in enhanced confidence. Another way of developing confidence is to help others. Helping them, guiding them, supporting them and affirming them when they have done well. The notion of working closely with someone else so that it boosts confidence is also used by the military in their battle buddy concept. Military psychologists claim that if you a battle buddy at your side it is easier to access confidence and you are unlikely to defect or display cowardice.  

Confidence develops change resilience

We are always going to be in a changing environment where we have to manage external changes and also a great deal of internal, personal change. You have in all likelihood read about how to manage change or you have possibly attended a change management workshop. But, despite reading and learning about change management many people still react to change by allowing their emotions to hijack their minds. Again, I am not suggesting that these emotions are wrong or that you should not feel them or that you can magically avoid feeling them. Experiencing and processing these emotions is essential. It is the extent to which they dominate or immobilise you for a prolonged period and consequently limit your performance that is at stake. 

The Elizabeth Kubler-Ross model, in her book On Death and Dying, refers to the stages of grief and how knowledge of these can be usefully applied to understanding change. 

I would like to suggest that improving your confidence will give you better change resilience and enhance your ability to manage the change process. When you are confident you will not feel as threatened by changes in technology or politics, nor by changes in relationships or even by the physical changes associated with aging. 

Confidence improves decision making, Confidence affects teamwork; getting and giving helps develop confidence; confidence develops change resilience.Dr Steve – Mind Doctor