We should stop mistaking confidence for anything but self-belief. (2017)

“…we should all learn to be more sceptical of what confidence actually brings. It’s not competence. It’s not effectiveness.”

Julia Baird, journalist and author
Sydney Morning Herald ,19 May 2017.

“The fact women have less confidence than men is well documented and globally proven. On TV, in print, in Parliament, I see evidence of it every day. Male chutzpah is the high-octane fuel much of the media relies on.

“…Part of this (problem) is the fact that, around the world, men think they are more intelligent than women.

…A study of 12 countries… found “male hubris and female humility in self estimates of intelligence” were not affected by differences in actual cognitive ability.

“…It’s strangely cheering … to remind yourself that those with far less ability are often far more assured.

“…But what if we are ignoring a large part of the problem? Perhaps it is not that women should learn to be more confident, but we should all learn to be more sceptical of what confidence actually brings. It’s not competence. It’s not effectiveness.

….”The solution is not to get women to act more like men, but to select leaders based on their actual competence.”

“And, in short, to stop mistaking confidence for anything but self-belief.”

Access the full article here: We should stop mistaking confidence for anything but self-belief.