The two “C”s of success
March 14, 2019
By Brian Maynor
I’m willing to wager when thinking about success we’ve never thought the two “c”s in the middle of the word before.
Now what if I told you two things you can associate with those letters could make all the difference in whether we’re successful or not? Those two things are confidence and competence, and particularly their relationship with each other.
When striving for success working hard and doing a standout job only gets you so far, especially if our standout job isn’t been seen or recognized. The reason this happens is because it’s really hard to judge competence. So, instead of looking at and assess real competence we rely on our perceptions of it, which is completely different.
When assessing competence we often look at performance results, but in reality there are so many external factors that influence those outcomes it hardly seems like a fair assessment. That is why hard work and results are not enough to guarantee success. We need to show our competence and that happens through demonstrating confidence.
The connection between confidence and perceived competence has been studied for decades, and the results have been uniformly consistent. Here are some of those results:
1. Psychologist Barry Schlenker and Mark Leary conducted their pioneering study back in 1982 and found that our level of self-confidence plays has a huge influence over other’s perception of our competence. In other words, when we say things negative things like, “I’m so unprepared” or “I think my presentation is going to bomb” that directly impacts how others perceive our competence, and not surprisingly it is in a negative way. Even if we manage to nail the presentation. On the other hand, when we say positive things like, “I’ve got this down” and “I’m more than ready” others see us as competent even if we crash and burn.
2. There is a helpful and harmful way of projecting confidence. We have all experienced the downside to overconfidence, both in ourselves and others, but there is usually a single reason for it. Projecting confidence and praising our competence is all well and good as long as it’s non-comparative. It’s when we start comparing our competence to other’s, or making assertions about their incompetence that we get in trouble.
3. The simple truth behind the connection between confidence and confidence is called confirmation bias. That means we tend to believe what we’re told and look for evidence to support that belief in what we see. This explains why how we talk about ourselves matters to how others see us. If we say we’re terrible, unprepared, incompetent others will believe it and only see us that way, even if we do a standout job every time.
4. Learn to moderate modesty. Projecting fake overconfidence does have its downside, especially when we know we are going to perform poorly, but so does being too modest. As the Schlenker & Leary study proves, humility doesn’t tend to work in our favor when it comes to perceiving competence. In fact, it’s often seen as a preempted attempt to quell criticism. A sort of ‘hedging our bets against failure’ approach. This usually backfires because how can we expect others to have faith in us and our abilities when we don’t have faith in ourselves?
When it comes to success, the long and short of confidence and competence is that we should always communicate that we are good at what we do without any hint self-deprecation. We may think it’s humbling, but in reality it just sabotaging our success.
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
