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Confidence
Become more confident at work.
You need confidence to inspire trust, communicate effectively, and succeed in your organization. But self-doubt and nerves can undermine your ability to act decisively and persuade others. What can you do to push past these insecurities?
This book explains how you can use emotional intelligence to become more confident at work. You'll learn how to correct what is holding you back, how to overcome imposter syndrome, and when feeling too self-assured can actually backfire.
This volume includes the work
Tomas Chamorro-PremuzicRosabeth Moss KanterAmy Jen SuPeter Bregman
How to be human at work. The HBR Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review. Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master.
You need confidence to inspire trust, communicate effectively, and succeed in your organization. But self-doubt and nerves can undermine your ability to act decisively and persuade others. What can you do to push past these insecurities?
This book explains how you can use emotional intelligence to become more confident at work. You'll learn how to correct what is holding you back, how to overcome imposter syndrome, and when feeling too self-assured can actually backfire.
This volume includes the work
Tomas Chamorro-PremuzicRosabeth Moss KanterAmy Jen SuPeter Bregman
How to be human at work. The HBR Emotional Intelligence Series features smart, essential reading on the human side of professional life from the pages of Harvard Business Review. Each book in the series offers proven research showing how our emotions impact our work lives, practical advice for managing difficult people and situations, and inspiring essays on what it means to tend to our emotional well-being at work. Uplifting and practical, these books describe the social skills that are critical for ambitious professionals to master.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2019
138 people are currently reading
789 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
April 21, 2019
This is an easy read.
More importantly, it's short and punchy, so you actually get a lot from it.
And it's relevant !
Oh dear, how relevant all of this becomes when you step into the corporate world.
Key takeaways:
1. Do the work and prepare
2. Focus on learning and developing even if making mistakes.
3. Achieve all four - Be confident, Commit to others, Commitment and purpose, Emotionally courageous.
4. Extreme low self-confidence is poor. However, slightly low self-confidence will lead you on the right track.
More importantly, it's short and punchy, so you actually get a lot from it.
And it's relevant !
Oh dear, how relevant all of this becomes when you step into the corporate world.
Key takeaways:
1. Do the work and prepare
2. Focus on learning and developing even if making mistakes.
3. Achieve all four - Be confident, Commit to others, Commitment and purpose, Emotionally courageous.
4. Extreme low self-confidence is poor. However, slightly low self-confidence will lead you on the right track.
December 12, 2024
Sehr interessant und informativ. Das Buch ist gut geschrieben und lässt sich leicht lesen
December 14, 2025
1. Confidence is an Action, Not a Feeling (Preparation is key)
True, sustainable confidence is built through deliberate, measurable action and practice, not by waiting for a feeling of self-assurance to arrive.
• Key Action: Preparation and Practice (Ch. 1). Confidence is defined as security and a positive emotion that results in better performance, achieved by starting small and leveling up through preparation.
• Key Technique: Use Rituals (Ch. 4) for mental preparation. Create signals and routines that remind you of past successes ("hype yourself up") to ensure you are consistently performing at your best.
• Key Output: Confidence is the expectation of a positive outcome (Ch. 3) that validates the formula Investment + Effort = Success.
2. The Power of Self-Doubt (we create our reality)
Confidence requires a realistic assessment of skill. Excessive certainty can be a weakness, while embracing doubt and realism is a strength.
• The Paradox: Less confident people tend to be more successful (Ch. 14) because they are not "deluded" and overreaching.
• The Superpower: Women's tendency to be more realistic (Ch. 13) in their skills assessment is an "actual super power" compared to false confidence.
• The Trap to Avoid: Overconfidence (Ch. 13 Traps) leads to arrogance and complacency, making you blind to reality.
3. Confidence is Managed, Not Mastered (growth mindset vs performance mindset)
Confidence is a continuous process of coaching yourself and your team through setbacks and self-criticism.
• Embrace Imposter Syndrome: Everyone has imposter syndrome (Ch. 2). View this feeling as an "inherent benefit to being a beginner" and a "growing opportunity" by using a learning mindset.
• Coach the Critic: When dealing with self-doubt (in yourself or others), the goal is not to fight the doubt, but to validate the existence of the inner critic (Ch. 11, 12) and use thoughtful questions to coach the ability to manage it.
• Handle Setbacks: The difference between winners and losers is how they deal with compounding losing (Ch. 9). Winners find the silver lining and learn adaptively; losers become paranoid.
4. Communication and Presence Reinforce Confidence (leadership is performance)
Confidence must be projected through both what you say and how you hold yourself, influencing others' belief in your abilities.
• Communicate with Purpose: Use multiple Leadership Voices (Ch. 8): Curiosity (approaching problems with questions) and Clarity (setting the big picture goal) are paramount.
• Act the Part: For high-stakes situations, practice your performance and get into character (Ch. 7). Content knowledge alone is insufficient.
• Use Your Body: Employ non-verbal cues (Ch. 6) to project competence, such as showing control ("The Box") and adopting a Wide Stance (power pose).
Appendix:
Here is the complete, word-for-word transcript of your notes, organized by Chapter (1–14) and the "Traps" section. You can copy and paste this entire block directly into your archive.
Chapter 1 (Note 1)
How to build confidence
* Confidence = security + positive emotion = better performance
* Prepare - practice makes perfect - start small and move up level up with preparation
* Get out of your own way: know your limitation but also where your value comes from unique perspectives
* Get feedback: only way to improve is feedback
* Take right [sic]: new initiatives can help you create your skill set.
* Small risks build confidence.
Chapter 2 (Note 2)
everyone has imposter syndrome
* recognize there is inherent benefit to being a beginner
* focus on the learning mindset versus possessive mindset makes you see your mistakes different.
* instead of being about configuring your inadequacy you see it as a growing opportunity
* Desperation realize everyone feels these emotions - overcome barriers to confidence
Chapter 3 (Note 3)
overcome barriers to confidence. Confidence is an expectation of a positive outcome. investment + effort = Success, but confidence is key to producing the belief that the investment & effort is worthwhile.
Chapter 4 (Note 4)
mental preparation of top athletes
* Practice a ritual. It helps you get into a groove and remind you of all the work you have done including in those rituals.
* Calibrate energy to the task at hand.
* Hype yourself up with your best work.
* Think of past situation where you have thrived.
* Social contagion works using a tool.
* Another goal has makes [sic] you feel like a Champion.
* Create signals through ritual for the work you are doing.
Chapter 5 (Note 5)
Dunning Kruger Effect
* Experience is a hard teacher because it gives the test first and only after do we get the lesson.
* Beginners tend to believe they are further along because optimism and confidence (a little XP) replace caution, proof & false sense of competence.
* Regimen are more cautious. after 15 surgeries we start to see more mistakes.
* Just be aware of this phenomenon as you enter new ventures.
Chapter 6 (Note 6)
Six ways to look more confident in presenting/testing [sic]
* The box: imagine a box and use it to show trust/calmness by showing control.
* The ball: indicates unconfidence and control
* Pyramid hands: beware of overusing it can come across as domineering but good technique for fidgeter
* Wide stance - power pose
* Palms up - convey openness and honesty - nothing to hide
* Palms down - sign of authority & strength
Chapter 7 (Note 7)
to ace your job interview get into character and rehearse. you have to practice your performance. content knowledge is not enough. it's like a bridge between mind & body. people might feel it's inauthentic to practice theatre but this is a limiting growth perspective. we gotta go. you need to imagine what a successful executive is like and rise up to it. don't overthink the performance. focus on conversational skills. Be curious & improve on the conversation
Chapter 8 (Note 8)
You need multiple leadership voices:
* Voice of connecting: focus on storytelling to create memorable resonates [sic] think I acknowledge make time to
* Voice of curiosity: you don't need to solve every problem. it's better to approach from curiosity sometimes it's a good way of discussing a situation. coaching can come from questions. it helps the other side see the problem in a different way.
* Voice of clarity: inspire by setting the clear big picture goal inspire them to say no to stay focused on the most important goal.
* Voice of context: you become more senior you need to help people contextualize their work to the big picture set the stage & share critical context.
* Voice of character: it's about being authentic to your leadership values.
Chapter 9 (Note 9)
cultivate culture of confidence. the key difference between winners & losers is how they deal with compounding losing. If you become paranoid winners see the silver lining the losing as that's important to learn adaptive. like no matter your record eventually you hit challenges are you ready to deal with them right now.
Chapter 11 (Note 11)
Confident/Connected/Committed/Courageous. 'Confident in yourself' you need to have the ability to do hard things. 'Connected' to others building trust inspires confidence. 'Committed' need to tie to bigger value to keep yourself confident. 'Emotional courage' is about risks taking.
Chapter 12 (Note 12)
how to help your team overcome self-doubt: you can't fight their doubts need to dig deeper & show them that their exist an inner critic with thoughtful questions: you can grow them how the ability to grows comes from managing this inner critic
Chapter 13 (Note 12/13/14)
vs women tend to be more realistic in their assessment of their skills leading to receding [sic] their skills leading to a lack of confidence but this is actually a super power compared to actual less confident.
Chapter 14 (Note 14)
less confident people tend to be more successful because they don't run so much further than they are deluded by confidence
Traps (chapter 2)
avoid these traps to confidence
* Self-defeating assumption: you think you can't so you don't. goals that are too big or distant - need winning loop
* Declaring victory too soon: creating overconfidence and fragility if you face a set back.
* Do it yourself-ing: you need village don't think it's all on you. get the team to council and build confidence together.
* Blaming someone else: take responsibility and move on this makes people trust that you will do the right thing.
* Defensiveness: apologize for mistakes but don't apologize for who or what you are lead from your strengths
* Neglecting setbacks: be realistic to know how to fix the problems. be prepared for anything.
* Overconfidence: leads to arrogance and complacency which makes you blind to reality.
True, sustainable confidence is built through deliberate, measurable action and practice, not by waiting for a feeling of self-assurance to arrive.
• Key Action: Preparation and Practice (Ch. 1). Confidence is defined as security and a positive emotion that results in better performance, achieved by starting small and leveling up through preparation.
• Key Technique: Use Rituals (Ch. 4) for mental preparation. Create signals and routines that remind you of past successes ("hype yourself up") to ensure you are consistently performing at your best.
• Key Output: Confidence is the expectation of a positive outcome (Ch. 3) that validates the formula Investment + Effort = Success.
2. The Power of Self-Doubt (we create our reality)
Confidence requires a realistic assessment of skill. Excessive certainty can be a weakness, while embracing doubt and realism is a strength.
• The Paradox: Less confident people tend to be more successful (Ch. 14) because they are not "deluded" and overreaching.
• The Superpower: Women's tendency to be more realistic (Ch. 13) in their skills assessment is an "actual super power" compared to false confidence.
• The Trap to Avoid: Overconfidence (Ch. 13 Traps) leads to arrogance and complacency, making you blind to reality.
3. Confidence is Managed, Not Mastered (growth mindset vs performance mindset)
Confidence is a continuous process of coaching yourself and your team through setbacks and self-criticism.
• Embrace Imposter Syndrome: Everyone has imposter syndrome (Ch. 2). View this feeling as an "inherent benefit to being a beginner" and a "growing opportunity" by using a learning mindset.
• Coach the Critic: When dealing with self-doubt (in yourself or others), the goal is not to fight the doubt, but to validate the existence of the inner critic (Ch. 11, 12) and use thoughtful questions to coach the ability to manage it.
• Handle Setbacks: The difference between winners and losers is how they deal with compounding losing (Ch. 9). Winners find the silver lining and learn adaptively; losers become paranoid.
4. Communication and Presence Reinforce Confidence (leadership is performance)
Confidence must be projected through both what you say and how you hold yourself, influencing others' belief in your abilities.
• Communicate with Purpose: Use multiple Leadership Voices (Ch. 8): Curiosity (approaching problems with questions) and Clarity (setting the big picture goal) are paramount.
• Act the Part: For high-stakes situations, practice your performance and get into character (Ch. 7). Content knowledge alone is insufficient.
• Use Your Body: Employ non-verbal cues (Ch. 6) to project competence, such as showing control ("The Box") and adopting a Wide Stance (power pose).
Appendix:
Here is the complete, word-for-word transcript of your notes, organized by Chapter (1–14) and the "Traps" section. You can copy and paste this entire block directly into your archive.
Chapter 1 (Note 1)
How to build confidence
* Confidence = security + positive emotion = better performance
* Prepare - practice makes perfect - start small and move up level up with preparation
* Get out of your own way: know your limitation but also where your value comes from unique perspectives
* Get feedback: only way to improve is feedback
* Take right [sic]: new initiatives can help you create your skill set.
* Small risks build confidence.
Chapter 2 (Note 2)
everyone has imposter syndrome
* recognize there is inherent benefit to being a beginner
* focus on the learning mindset versus possessive mindset makes you see your mistakes different.
* instead of being about configuring your inadequacy you see it as a growing opportunity
* Desperation realize everyone feels these emotions - overcome barriers to confidence
Chapter 3 (Note 3)
overcome barriers to confidence. Confidence is an expectation of a positive outcome. investment + effort = Success, but confidence is key to producing the belief that the investment & effort is worthwhile.
Chapter 4 (Note 4)
mental preparation of top athletes
* Practice a ritual. It helps you get into a groove and remind you of all the work you have done including in those rituals.
* Calibrate energy to the task at hand.
* Hype yourself up with your best work.
* Think of past situation where you have thrived.
* Social contagion works using a tool.
* Another goal has makes [sic] you feel like a Champion.
* Create signals through ritual for the work you are doing.
Chapter 5 (Note 5)
Dunning Kruger Effect
* Experience is a hard teacher because it gives the test first and only after do we get the lesson.
* Beginners tend to believe they are further along because optimism and confidence (a little XP) replace caution, proof & false sense of competence.
* Regimen are more cautious. after 15 surgeries we start to see more mistakes.
* Just be aware of this phenomenon as you enter new ventures.
Chapter 6 (Note 6)
Six ways to look more confident in presenting/testing [sic]
* The box: imagine a box and use it to show trust/calmness by showing control.
* The ball: indicates unconfidence and control
* Pyramid hands: beware of overusing it can come across as domineering but good technique for fidgeter
* Wide stance - power pose
* Palms up - convey openness and honesty - nothing to hide
* Palms down - sign of authority & strength
Chapter 7 (Note 7)
to ace your job interview get into character and rehearse. you have to practice your performance. content knowledge is not enough. it's like a bridge between mind & body. people might feel it's inauthentic to practice theatre but this is a limiting growth perspective. we gotta go. you need to imagine what a successful executive is like and rise up to it. don't overthink the performance. focus on conversational skills. Be curious & improve on the conversation
Chapter 8 (Note 8)
You need multiple leadership voices:
* Voice of connecting: focus on storytelling to create memorable resonates [sic] think I acknowledge make time to
* Voice of curiosity: you don't need to solve every problem. it's better to approach from curiosity sometimes it's a good way of discussing a situation. coaching can come from questions. it helps the other side see the problem in a different way.
* Voice of clarity: inspire by setting the clear big picture goal inspire them to say no to stay focused on the most important goal.
* Voice of context: you become more senior you need to help people contextualize their work to the big picture set the stage & share critical context.
* Voice of character: it's about being authentic to your leadership values.
Chapter 9 (Note 9)
cultivate culture of confidence. the key difference between winners & losers is how they deal with compounding losing. If you become paranoid winners see the silver lining the losing as that's important to learn adaptive. like no matter your record eventually you hit challenges are you ready to deal with them right now.
Chapter 11 (Note 11)
Confident/Connected/Committed/Courageous. 'Confident in yourself' you need to have the ability to do hard things. 'Connected' to others building trust inspires confidence. 'Committed' need to tie to bigger value to keep yourself confident. 'Emotional courage' is about risks taking.
Chapter 12 (Note 12)
how to help your team overcome self-doubt: you can't fight their doubts need to dig deeper & show them that their exist an inner critic with thoughtful questions: you can grow them how the ability to grows comes from managing this inner critic
Chapter 13 (Note 12/13/14)
vs women tend to be more realistic in their assessment of their skills leading to receding [sic] their skills leading to a lack of confidence but this is actually a super power compared to actual less confident.
Chapter 14 (Note 14)
less confident people tend to be more successful because they don't run so much further than they are deluded by confidence
Traps (chapter 2)
avoid these traps to confidence
* Self-defeating assumption: you think you can't so you don't. goals that are too big or distant - need winning loop
* Declaring victory too soon: creating overconfidence and fragility if you face a set back.
* Do it yourself-ing: you need village don't think it's all on you. get the team to council and build confidence together.
* Blaming someone else: take responsibility and move on this makes people trust that you will do the right thing.
* Defensiveness: apologize for mistakes but don't apologize for who or what you are lead from your strengths
* Neglecting setbacks: be realistic to know how to fix the problems. be prepared for anything.
* Overconfidence: leads to arrogance and complacency which makes you blind to reality.
May 2, 2021
experience is a hard teacher because it gives the test first, and only then provides the lesson.
the slide into a losing streak often begins with a winning streak.
Pride goes before a fall.
Confidence is the art of moving on.
It’s one thing to be realistic, it’s another to behave like a loser before entering the game.
I learned that it is better to strive to be well-respected than well-liked.
Principles to remember
DO:
Be honest with yourself about what you know and what you still need to learn
Practice doing the things you are unsure about
Embrace new opportunities to prove you can do difficult things
DON’T:
Focus excessively on whether or not you have the ability—think instead about the value you provide
Hesitate to ask for external validation if you need it
Worry about what others think—focus on yourself, not a theoretical and judgmental audience
The best way to build confidence in a given area is to invest energy in it and work hard at it.
the slide into a losing streak often begins with a winning streak.
Pride goes before a fall.
Confidence is the art of moving on.
It’s one thing to be realistic, it’s another to behave like a loser before entering the game.
I learned that it is better to strive to be well-respected than well-liked.
Principles to remember
DO:
Be honest with yourself about what you know and what you still need to learn
Practice doing the things you are unsure about
Embrace new opportunities to prove you can do difficult things
DON’T:
Focus excessively on whether or not you have the ability—think instead about the value you provide
Hesitate to ask for external validation if you need it
Worry about what others think—focus on yourself, not a theoretical and judgmental audience
The best way to build confidence in a given area is to invest energy in it and work hard at it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2019
easy to read, and so relevant in the modern world.
this book makes you rethink the way you handle situations and also explore more about yourself.
in the end, it gives you good tips to steer yourself, and most important steer how others perceive you.
it was a good read, I recommend it to the corporate warrior
this book makes you rethink the way you handle situations and also explore more about yourself.
in the end, it gives you good tips to steer yourself, and most important steer how others perceive you.
it was a good read, I recommend it to the corporate warrior
July 22, 2025
I’m not normally a “self-help” book reader, and I picked this one up by chance at the airport before an overnight flight. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the read. It was thought provoking and something I can see myself referencing in the future and recommending to others who are looking for useful advice in leadership/the workplace. I’d say 3.5 stars for me.
January 11, 2020
Wow what did I just read? You can be confident and not be a Dick. This book is stank. It gets no love.
July 1, 2024
Definitely will incorporate some of the content into my daily life, though some of the essays seemed to contradict each other at times.
March 31, 2025
Me esperaba mucho más. Se compone de relatos que, en mi opinión, se quedan un poco anecdóticos.
August 7, 2022
Se me hizo un tanto complicado culminar el libro, pero los últimos dos capítulos me ofrecieron lo que buscaba durante todo el libro. No me gusto como ellos se refieren sobre la mujer en cuanto al aspecto de la confianza, haciendo parecer que la mujer tiene menor confianza que el hombre por el simple hecho de ser mujeres. Los últimos capítulos abundan sobre la problemática: no es por la naturaleza de ser mujeres, es por los obstáculos estereotipizantes y machistas que nos martilla la sociedad.
It was a bit difficult for me to finish the book, but the last two chapters gave me what I was looking for throughout the book. I did not like how they refer to women in terms of the aspect of confidence, making it seem that women have less confidence than men for the simple fact of being women. The last chapters abound on the problem: it is not because of the nature of being women, it is because of the stereotyping and sexist obstacles that society hammers at us.
It was a bit difficult for me to finish the book, but the last two chapters gave me what I was looking for throughout the book. I did not like how they refer to women in terms of the aspect of confidence, making it seem that women have less confidence than men for the simple fact of being women. The last chapters abound on the problem: it is not because of the nature of being women, it is because of the stereotyping and sexist obstacles that society hammers at us.
May 4, 2020
It was okay. Had more to do with leadership than cultivating confidence.
April 27, 2023
Meh. No está mal pero esperaba más. Muy superficial.
Enfocado al liderazgo.
Enfocado al liderazgo.
September 20, 2020
A. A very obvious one- Prepare, Prepare and Prepare. There is no shortcut. Anticipate setbacks, prepare, prepare and prepare.
B. Confidence is also about moving on with some key takeaways- not dwelling too much in the past. Dwelling too much in the past setbacks will make us unproductively lose our emotional energy.
C. Stretch yourself and take risks. Good place to start is with a pet project- something apart from your non-negotiable deliverable of your current role.
D. What is the business environment equivalent to the pep talk or “locker room” talk in sports? What is preferred just before some key events- Rituals. Rituals reminds us of how well prepared we are and how long we have been learning. It immediately helps us in getting into the groove and remembering past successes.
F. When you feel underconfident, ask for feedback from people who believe in you aggressively and who could give the difficult feedback with loads of compassion :)
G. Learn how to manage the inner critic. While coaching people with very low confidence, introduce the concept of inner critic and help them differentiate the inner critic from inner self guide.
Cs of the two title one has to strengthen (basis this title and leadership presence)
1.Context- What is the big picture? 2.Character- What do you stand for? 3.Confidence- Can you provide calm and steady leadership under stress without getting rattled? 4.Clarity - Can you prioritize and communicate clearly? 5. Communicate- Can you communicate clearly ad directly with respect and without defensiveness?. Can you stand your ground calmly? 6.Courage- Do you have the emotional courage to take decisions in line with your principle and bigger purpose? 7. Commitment- Can you stay committed to the purpose at any cost? 8. Curiosity- Can you listen with the intent of understanding the other person’s perspective?9. Connection- Can you connect with everyone with equal ease
B. Confidence is also about moving on with some key takeaways- not dwelling too much in the past. Dwelling too much in the past setbacks will make us unproductively lose our emotional energy.
C. Stretch yourself and take risks. Good place to start is with a pet project- something apart from your non-negotiable deliverable of your current role.
D. What is the business environment equivalent to the pep talk or “locker room” talk in sports? What is preferred just before some key events- Rituals. Rituals reminds us of how well prepared we are and how long we have been learning. It immediately helps us in getting into the groove and remembering past successes.
F. When you feel underconfident, ask for feedback from people who believe in you aggressively and who could give the difficult feedback with loads of compassion :)
G. Learn how to manage the inner critic. While coaching people with very low confidence, introduce the concept of inner critic and help them differentiate the inner critic from inner self guide.
Cs of the two title one has to strengthen (basis this title and leadership presence)
1.Context- What is the big picture? 2.Character- What do you stand for? 3.Confidence- Can you provide calm and steady leadership under stress without getting rattled? 4.Clarity - Can you prioritize and communicate clearly? 5. Communicate- Can you communicate clearly ad directly with respect and without defensiveness?. Can you stand your ground calmly? 6.Courage- Do you have the emotional courage to take decisions in line with your principle and bigger purpose? 7. Commitment- Can you stay committed to the purpose at any cost? 8. Curiosity- Can you listen with the intent of understanding the other person’s perspective?9. Connection- Can you connect with everyone with equal ease
January 28, 2022
"Confidence is an expectation of a positive outcome. It is not a personality trait; it is an assessment of a situation that sparks motivation."
A concise and practical read of fourteen articles, each between five to ten pages long, related to confidence. Topics range from ways to build confidence (How to Build Confidence and Overcome the Eight Barriers to Confidence), strategies for effective leadership (You Don't Just Need One Leadership Voice and Great Leaders are Confident, Connected, Committed, and Courageous), and perceived confidence in female managers (To Be Seen As Confident, Women Have to Be Seen as Warm and Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?).
Three of my favourite lessons:
1. Overcoming self-doubt starts with honestly assessing your abilities and shortcomings, and then getting comfortable enough to capitilise on and correct them. The best way to do this is by practising new things in a safe setting when the stakes are low, and asking for support (and validation, if required) from supervisors.
2. Long-term winners often face the same problems as long-term losers, but winners respond to these low points differently. They stay calm, learn, adapt and continue on. To build the confidence to do so, teams must be immersed in a culture of accountability (strengths and weaknesses are properly identified, everyone remains disciplined and professional in the face of failure), collaboration (everyone works towards a common goal, high performers mentor others), and initiative (creative ideas are sought, widespread dialogue and brainstorming is favoured).
3. All great leaders rely on four elements to rally people to achieve. They must be confident in themselves, connected to others, commited to purpose and emotionally courageous. To inspire action, you must excel at all four simultaneously. If you're confident in yourself, but disconnected from others, you'll alienate the people around you. If you're connected to others, but not confident in yourself, you will betray your own needs and perspectives in order to please everyone else. If you're not committed to a purpose, you'll act aimlessly, failing to make an impact on what matters most. And, if you fail to act with emotional courage, your ideas will remain idle thoughts and your goals will remain unfulfilled fantasies.
A concise and practical read of fourteen articles, each between five to ten pages long, related to confidence. Topics range from ways to build confidence (How to Build Confidence and Overcome the Eight Barriers to Confidence), strategies for effective leadership (You Don't Just Need One Leadership Voice and Great Leaders are Confident, Connected, Committed, and Courageous), and perceived confidence in female managers (To Be Seen As Confident, Women Have to Be Seen as Warm and Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?).
Three of my favourite lessons:
1. Overcoming self-doubt starts with honestly assessing your abilities and shortcomings, and then getting comfortable enough to capitilise on and correct them. The best way to do this is by practising new things in a safe setting when the stakes are low, and asking for support (and validation, if required) from supervisors.
2. Long-term winners often face the same problems as long-term losers, but winners respond to these low points differently. They stay calm, learn, adapt and continue on. To build the confidence to do so, teams must be immersed in a culture of accountability (strengths and weaknesses are properly identified, everyone remains disciplined and professional in the face of failure), collaboration (everyone works towards a common goal, high performers mentor others), and initiative (creative ideas are sought, widespread dialogue and brainstorming is favoured).
3. All great leaders rely on four elements to rally people to achieve. They must be confident in themselves, connected to others, commited to purpose and emotionally courageous. To inspire action, you must excel at all four simultaneously. If you're confident in yourself, but disconnected from others, you'll alienate the people around you. If you're connected to others, but not confident in yourself, you will betray your own needs and perspectives in order to please everyone else. If you're not committed to a purpose, you'll act aimlessly, failing to make an impact on what matters most. And, if you fail to act with emotional courage, your ideas will remain idle thoughts and your goals will remain unfulfilled fantasies.
January 4, 2024
Key points/reflections from the book:
Strive to be 'well-respected rather than well-liked'. Do the right thing (professionally and ethically) rather than the agreeable/compliant thing, even if this makes you the minority.
Try to learn to do new things - learning and achieving new things can help boost confidence.
'Avoid self-defeating assumptions'. Do not assume that you can not do something, e.g., ask for or get a promotion. Do not 'act like a loser' before even 'entering the game'.
Overcome imposter syndrome by recognising the positives of still being a 'novice' or 'outsider'. For example, sometimes outsiders can solve problems for an organisation because of their unique perspective and skills. Performance mindset may fuel imposter syndrome - shift to a learning mindset. We are all always learning and developing - everyone makes mistakes and/or can improve. Look at every situation as a learning opportunity, and remember that you have a unique perspective to offer.
Build your own confidence by building that of others. Help everyone in the team to succeed and be happy. Supporting team members helps to ensure that they will support you.
'Lead with your strengths' and be realistic, e.g., know that there will be mistakes or ups and downs along the journey.
Avoid over-confidence/arrogance/entitlement/complacency. This leads to blind spots and other complications.
Confidence requires ongoing work and preparation. Use rituals/routines to sustain/reinforce desirable practices. Manage energy to match the activity/context, e.g., think about your 'greatest hits' or best moments/strengths before going into the situation. E.g., your pep talk might look like , 'You've done this before and can do this again'.
Use small wins to work towards the bigger goal.
Strive to be 'well-respected rather than well-liked'. Do the right thing (professionally and ethically) rather than the agreeable/compliant thing, even if this makes you the minority.
Try to learn to do new things - learning and achieving new things can help boost confidence.
'Avoid self-defeating assumptions'. Do not assume that you can not do something, e.g., ask for or get a promotion. Do not 'act like a loser' before even 'entering the game'.
Overcome imposter syndrome by recognising the positives of still being a 'novice' or 'outsider'. For example, sometimes outsiders can solve problems for an organisation because of their unique perspective and skills. Performance mindset may fuel imposter syndrome - shift to a learning mindset. We are all always learning and developing - everyone makes mistakes and/or can improve. Look at every situation as a learning opportunity, and remember that you have a unique perspective to offer.
Build your own confidence by building that of others. Help everyone in the team to succeed and be happy. Supporting team members helps to ensure that they will support you.
'Lead with your strengths' and be realistic, e.g., know that there will be mistakes or ups and downs along the journey.
Avoid over-confidence/arrogance/entitlement/complacency. This leads to blind spots and other complications.
Confidence requires ongoing work and preparation. Use rituals/routines to sustain/reinforce desirable practices. Manage energy to match the activity/context, e.g., think about your 'greatest hits' or best moments/strengths before going into the situation. E.g., your pep talk might look like , 'You've done this before and can do this again'.
Use small wins to work towards the bigger goal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 23, 2020
Brilliant read. Smart. Educational. Empowering. In digestible short junks.
My 3 biggest takeaways:
1. Winners and losers face the same obstacles. Winners just recover faster.
2. High self confidence isn‘t a blessing, low self confidence is not a course.
3. What it takes to get a job is different from what it takes to do the job well.
My 3 biggest takeaways:
1. Winners and losers face the same obstacles. Winners just recover faster.
2. High self confidence isn‘t a blessing, low self confidence is not a course.
3. What it takes to get a job is different from what it takes to do the job well.
January 6, 2023
Quick read on a quick flight. I love a collection of articles on a hot topic. This was what you’d expect for that kind of collection from a source like HBR. I knew most of it but also got a lot of good tidbits and reminders. Good gift for anyone wanting to grow their confidence at work and in life.
July 10, 2023
No es la solución a los problemas pero sí te ayuda muchísimo a ver eso que no estás viendo realmente.
Es informativo, concreto y muy fácil de leer. Da varios ejemplos por lo que entenderlo no es para nada complicado.
Me gustó mucho, debo admitir.
Recomiendo si estás medio inseguro, dubitativo o con ganas de leer sobre dinámica laboral respecto a tus pares/directivos.
Es informativo, concreto y muy fácil de leer. Da varios ejemplos por lo que entenderlo no es para nada complicado.
Me gustó mucho, debo admitir.
Recomiendo si estás medio inseguro, dubitativo o con ganas de leer sobre dinámica laboral respecto a tus pares/directivos.
January 11, 2025
This was not my favorite from the Harvard business series, but there were many good points nonetheless. Having confidence in business and in life is crucial. Whether it's through maintaining our goals in reach to not being overconfident as we may take risks that are not properly examined. Not to mention appear delulu or arrogant.
June 10, 2023
Not bad, not great. Very quick and easy read. As someone who’s been struggling with self confidence I got bits and pieces from it that were helpful. It also provides some resources you can look into as well. Overall I enjoyed it but didn’t get the big ah-ha moment I was hoping for.
July 13, 2024
An easy read/listen that's short, easy, and impactful. Each chapter features a different article about confidence and connects it to emotional intelligence. Nothing wowed me but it was very interesting! 3.5⭐
November 18, 2025
Estuvo interesante, el mejor mensaje que llevo es mirar los errores como oportunidad de aprendizaje y no como evidencia que no sabemos de lo que hablamos. Explica como muchas personas sienten el famoso "síndrome del impostor" y cómo evitarlo. Rápido de leer
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December 2, 2025A nice quick read on the science and business of confidence and how we are sold its merits through the stories we hear and tell ourselves. Humility tends to be a common trend among rare leaders and mentors.
December 22, 2019
Collection of articles about Emotional Intelligence Confidence for leaders.
December 1, 2021
Quick and to the point
June 12, 2022
ok buk
February 6, 2023
Listened to the audiobook. Great complication of articles on confidence with a lot of different perspectives and some good tips.
July 6, 2023
Great little collection of articles. Will be handy to go back to.
August 4, 2023
confidence!=competence but act like it does but not too much bc then you are just a jerk
November 20, 2023
This is a great one. I love this series.
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