Yes, the old saw is at it again. New research is turning over on its back yet more conventional wisdom. Many of my emotional shortcomings (short fuse/anger), phobias, indulgences (salt) are proving to be either normal or critical to success – I knew I just had to wait it out…
This time it’s Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, an international authority in personality profiling and psychometric testing who posts “Less Confident People Are More Successful” in the HBR Blog Network. (Important Disclosure: HBR could post just about anything…unicorns, Sasquatch, Ogo Pogo, mermaids – – and I’m a buyer.) Here’s some excerpts from his post:
“…There is no bigger cliché in business psychology than the idea that high self-confidence is key to career success. It is time to debunk this myth. In fact, low self-confidence is more likely to make you successful…”
“…After many years of researching and consulting on talent, I’ve come to the conclusion…If your confidence is low, rather than extremely low, you stand a better chance of succeeding than if you have high self-confidence. There are three main reasons for this:”
1) Lower self-confidence makes you pay attention to negative feedback and be self-critical:
…achievement is 10% performance and 90% preparation. Thus, the more aware you are of your soft spots and weaknesses, the better prepared you will be.
…Low self-confidence may turn you into a pessimist, but when pessimism teams-up with ambition it often produces outstanding performance. To be the very best at anything, you will need to be your harshest critic, and that is almost impossible when your starting point is high self-confidence. Exceptional achievers always experience low levels of confidence and self-confidence, but they train hard and practice continually until they reach an acceptable level of competence. Indeed, success is the best medicine for your insecurities…”
2) Lower self-confidence can motivate you to work harder and prepare more:
“…If you really want what you say you want, then, your low confidence will only make you work harder to achieve it — because it will indicate a discrepancy between your desired goal and your current state…”
3) Lower self-confidence reduces the chances of coming across as arrogant or being deluded.
…Lower self-confidence reduces not only the chances of coming across as arrogant, but also of being deluded. Indeed, people with low self-confidence are more likely to admit their mistakes — instead of blaming others — and rarely take credit for others’ accomplishments…
…if you are serious about your goals, low self-confidence can be your biggest ally to accomplish them. It will motivate you to work hard, help you work on your limitations, and stop you from being a jerk, deluded, or both. It is therefore time debunk the myth: High self-confidence isn’t a blessing, and low self-confidence is not a curse — in fact, it is the other way around.”
Read entire post @ The HBR Blog Network: “Less Confident People Are More Successful.”
Image Source: Thank you madamescherzo via icanread
Related Posts:
- Mission for today…
- It’s all coming my way…
- Living in Two Different Worlds. But operating in one mind.
- Research: Anger is a blessing. (About time)
- Worried about your job? Hope is not a strategy…
- Feeling Blah about work?
- Output v Effort…
- Your anxiety should be somewhere between checked out and freaked out…
- Genetics aren’t optional but what we do with them is…
- Whether or not you can never become great at something…
- When?
- Manufacture your own meaning…
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So, take a moment to ask yourself…
yay for HBR (and its acolytes, of course)!! this timid chap is heartened indeed to have evidence for one of my more important on-board rationalisation theories. viva le timid!!
Laughing. Me too Anake, me too.
Oy, another neurosis to add to my list..I wonder what the hubristic leaders (of which I am sure we have all known our share) think of this…
Let’s not have a race on the neurosis list so early in the morning. 🙂 And to those with hubris, they would *confidently* dismiss this research…
Lol – you’re right!
Well,would you look at that–all this time I’ve been on the “bleeding edge” and *finally* the research has caught up to me! What a relief–it’s exhausting being a trendsetter… 😉
You’ve been a trendsetter and didn’t even know it…
This is the best news ever, David! Thanks for the post. Never knew I had the confidence profile to be master of the universe.
Yes! And imagine if you knew this and believed this 20 years ago!
Am drunk with power just thinking about it! (smile)
Somehow, I could never see you drunk with power…too balanced for that…:)
Great article and I agree it is true. I too am a HBR junkie! Enjoy the day David.
Thanks Tina. You too.
Very interesting. Still thinking about myself and people around me regarding this.
Interesting isn’t it…
Reblogged this on The Upside and commented:
My friend David Kanigan shared this fascinating post on his site today. Takes another look at the high versus low self-confidence debate. Really puts things in perspective. Enjoy!
Thanks and thanks for sharing Christian…
Welcome, David. The post provides a necessary countervale to a lot of pop psychology (at times, psychobabble) that ultimately undermines competence and excellence in life and business. A relief.
Thanks Christian. Totally agree.
great post! I wonder how I fit into this…makes me seriously consider some things!
Michael, I had you pegged in Confident bucket (the good Confident) 🙂
yeah, I just have to guard against relying on it too much and not putting in the hours. This is a thought provoking study and a good one for me to read today. Thanks for sharing
Nice to read, but I am not sure it really works this way in corporate america. oh wait, that is probably just the pessimist in me talking.
Laughing. You are exactly who this post is talking to Ms. Elston!