Helping leaders gain and demonstrate the confidence they need to succeed!

1. The Science of Self-Confidence
Helping Leaders Gain and Demonstrate the Confidence they Need to
Succeed
Tricia Naddaff, MS
President, MRG
Maria Brown, PhD
Head of Research, MRG

2. Type a question here.
Click the red arrow to
expand the Control
Panel.
Host
Lucy Sullivan
Head of Marketing, MRG

3. A Brief Introduction
Tricia Naddaff, MS
President, MRG
Maria Brown, PhD
Head of Research, MRG
Management Research Group is a global leader in designing
assessments that foster a deep self-awareness and impact people in
profound and meaningful ways with solutions for Leadership,
Personal Development, Sales and Service.
MRG conducts extensive research on effective leadership behavior,
leveraging a database of more than 1.2 million assessment
participants.

4. Our Agenda for Today
1. Exploring Conveyed and Felt Self-confidence
– What are they?
– How are they related?
– Can we help leaders grow their ability to convey self-confidence?
2. Demographic Differences in Self-Confidence
3. Are there Risks associated with Conveying a high degree of
Self-Confidence?

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What is self-confidence?
Why is it critical for success?

6. Defining self-confidence
Source: Axelrod, 2017; Lunenburg, 2011
A measure of certainty about success.
An ability that develops throughout the
lifespan and allows us to succeed in familiar
and unfamiliar tasks

7. Defining self-confidence
Source: Axelrod, 2017; Lunenburg, 2011
Felt Self-Confidence:
Perceived by the individual
Conveyed Self-Confidence:
Perceived by others

8. Conveyed self-confidence is
critical for leadership
effectiveness.

9. Why Conveyed Self-Confidence is Critical
Source: Kennedy, Anderson, & Moore, 2013; Locke & Anderson, 2015; Murphy, Barlow, & von Hippel, 2018
It’s a status enhancer.
It influences how certain others are that an individual will succeed at a
task; they can also be seen as more competent.
They may experience more social success, and be given more control,
power, and opportunities to lead.
The benefits persist.
The status enhancing effects of self-confidence persist even after
evidence would suggest that an individual is not as competent as
originally thought.

10. Why Conveyed Self-Confidence is Critical
Source: MRG Study
It correlates with leadership impact.
Shows resilience
Ability to make effective decisions
Takes initiative
Business aptitude
Capacity for effective thinking
Ability to see the big picture perspective
Overall effectiveness as a leader/manager
Delivers results
Future potential
Tolerance for ambiguity
Fast learner
Effectively leads organizational change

11. Why Conveyed Self-Confidence is Critical
Source: MRG Study
It correlates with leadership competencies.
Move forward in business
Overcome new obstacles
Take control
Make effective choices

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Understanding conveyed
self-confidence
New research on the behaviors associated with self-
confidence

13. The Study

14. The Study

15. Instrument
LEA 360™: the Leadership Effectiveness Analysis
A multi-rater leadership assessment used in more than 100
countries, with more than 1 million total participants.
Observer Questionnaire
22 leadership behaviors
31 leadership competencies
Self Questionnaire
22 leadership behaviors
3 research items

16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 X
Measuring Conveyed Self-confidence
Observer Item
Displays
hardly any
self-
confidence;
requires
constant
reassurance
to take action
or achieve
Displays
some self-
confidence;
requires
frequent
reassurance
to take action
or achieve
Displays
adequate
self-
confidence;
requires
moderate
reassurance
to take
action or
achieve
Displays a lot
of self-
confidence;
requires little
reassurance
to take action
or achieve
Displays a
significant
amount of
self-
confidence;
requires
almost no
reassuranc
e to take
action or
achieve
Don’t
know
Demonstrates self-confidence (i.e., appears to trusts his/her abilities,
judgment and capabilities, conveys the capacity to achieve what he/she
wants to achieve)
Combined (weighted) observer score for each behavior and competency

17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 X
Measuring Felt Self-confidence
Self Item
Strongly
disagree; I
prefer
constant
reassurance
in my role
Disagree; I
prefer
frequent
reassurance
in my role
Neither
agree nor
disagree; I
prefer
moderate
reassurance
in my role
Agree; I prefer
little
reassurance
in my role
Strongly
agree; I
prefer
almost no
reassurance
in my role
Don’t
know
I feel self-confident in my role (i.e., the degree to which I trust my
abilities, judgment, capabilities, and feel that I have the capacity to
achieve what I want to achieve)

18. Is there a
relationship
between
Felt
Self-Confidence
& Conveyed
Self-Confidence?
Audience Poll:
a) Yes b) No

19. Is there a
relationship
between
Felt
Self-Confidence
& Conveyed
Self-Confidence?
No.
(r = .15)

20. Are there behaviors that impact felt self-
confidence?
• Leaders who feel self-confident
did not demonstrate a particular
behavior pattern
• The behaviors associated with felt
self-confidence appear to be
unique to the individual

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Increasing Conveyed Self-
Confidence
The behaviors associated with conveyed self-
confidence

22. Which behavior has
the greatest impact
on conveyed
self-confidence?
a) Being persuasive
b) Taking a strategic approach
c) Seeking opportunities to take charge
Audience Poll:

23. Behaviors that impact conveyed self-confidence

24. Behaviors that impact conveyed self-confidence

25. Behaviors that impact conveyed self-confidence
Seeking opportunities to be in charge and feeling comfortable in that role
Focusing on long term impact,
Exerting influence and expanding expertise,
Being persuasive and not prioritizing others’ agendas
Conveyed self-confidence is related to:
More:
Management focus
Strategic
Persuasive
Technical
Specific Behavior Patterns:
Less:
Authority
Cooperation

26. Questions?
• Conveyed self-confidence is important
• Felt self-confidence was not related to conveyed self-
confidence
• There was no universal pattern of behaviors associated with
felt self-confidence
• We found a subset of leadership behaviors that have an
impact on conveyed self-confidence:
• Management Focus
• Strategic
• Persuasive
• Technical
• Authority (less emphasis)
• Cooperation (less emphasis)

27. [Footer text to come] Page No 27
Conveyed Self-Confidence
based on Demographics
The behaviors associated with conveyed self-
confidence

28. Is there evidence of generation differences in
ratings of…
…conveyed self-confidence?
…felt self-confidence?
Baby
Boomers
Gen X Millennials
No.

29. Is there evidence of generational differences
in the behaviors associated with conveyed
self-confidence?
Baby
Boomers
Gen X Millennials
Yes.

30. Baby
Boomers Gen X Millennials
Strategic Strategic
Consensual (lower) Consensual (lower)
Technical Technical
Persuasive Persuasive
Production Production
Feedback
Communication
Empathy (lower)
Management Focus Management Focus Management Focus
Authority (lower) Authority (lower) Authority (lower)
Cooperation (lower) Cooperation (lower) Cooperation (lower)

31. Is there evidence of gender differences in
ratings of conveyed self-confidence?
No.
Men: 5.85
(mean out of 7)
Women: 5.80
(mean out of 7)

32. Is there evidence of gender differences in
ratings of felt self-confidence?
Yes.
Men: 5.71
(mean out of 7)
Women: 5.47
(mean out of 7)

33. Is there evidence of gender differences in the
behaviors associated with conveyed self-
confidence?
Yes.

34. Management focus Management focus
Tactical
Consensual (lower)
Authority (lower) Authority (lower)
Cooperation (lower)
Restraint (lower)
Communication Communication
Self
Strategic
Technical
Persuasive
Men Women

35. What do we know about
the type of leader who
conveys self-confidence?

36. Behaviors that impact conveyed self-confidence
 Seek opportunities to be in charge and feel comfortable in that role
 Focus on long term impact,
 Exert influence and expand expertise,
 Are persuasive and do not prioritize others’ agendas
Regardless of gender or generation, leaders who convey
self-confidence:
BUT there are demographic nuances, for example:
 Men who act independently and focus on short-range, practical
strategies convey more self-confidence
 Gen Y leaders who place less emphasis on demonstrating active
concern for others convey greater self-confidence

37. Questions?

38. [Footer text to come] Page No 38
Avoiding the risks of high
self-confidence

39. Willingness to Listen
& self-confidence
Willingness to listen:
Understands quickly, acknowledges communication,
goes out of his/her way to get others’ views
A comparison of two groups of leaders with
high conveyed self-confidence:
vs.
High
willingness to
listen
(top 33%)
+
High
conveyed
self-confidence
Low
willingness to
listen
(bottom 33%)
+
High
conveyed
self-confidence

40. Interaction: Willingness to Listen & Self-Confidence

41. How does willingness to listen interact with high
self-confidence?
 Exceeds the other group in all but 3 of the 30leadership impact
competencies: business aptitude, financial understanding and takes
initiative
 People-focused leader, who cares about others, helps colleagues,
establishes rapport, asks for help, thinks ahead, is cautious, expands
knowledge, communicates clearly and remains calm and reserved
High willingness to listen + High conveyed self-confidence:
Low willingness to listen + High conveyed self-confidence:
 Aggressive, independent, blunt, power-minded leader

42. Ethical Leadership
& self-confidence
Demonstrates ethical leadership:
Behaves in an ethical manner, encourages ethical
behavior in others, stands up for what is right, chooses
the honorable course of action
A comparison of two groups of leaders with
high conveyed self-confidence:
vs.
High
ethical
leadership
(top 33%)
+
High
conveyed
self-confidence
Low
ethical
leadership
(bottom 33%)
+
High
conveyed
self-confidence

43. Interaction: Ethical Leadership & Self-Confidence

44. How does ethical leadership interact with high self-
confidence?
 Exceeds the other group in all leadership impact competencies
 Cares about others, helps colleagues, communicates clearly, thinks
ahead, is cautious and organized, and expands knowledge
High ethical leadership + High conveyed self-confidence:
Low ethical leadership + High conveyed self-confidence:
 Aggressive, independent, may be blunt, takes command, sells ideas
and is emotionally expressive

45. Questions?

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Summary

47. Helping Leaders Convey Self-Confidence
How can we help leaders develop the ability to
convey self-confidence?
Even though it varies to some degree by
demographics, these leadership themes are
associated with conveyed self-confidence:
• Seeking opportunities to be in charge and feeling
comfortable in that role
• Focusing on long term impact,
• Exerting influence and expanding expertise,
• Being persuasive and not prioritizing others’
agendas

48. Helping Leaders Convey Self-Confidence
How can we help leaders develop the ability to
convey self-confidence?
Leadership behaviors impact conveyed self-
confidence differently for men and women, and for
leaders from different generations
In the context of gender:
• For women, it is important to be seen as
persuasive, strategic and technically savvy more
so than it is for men
• For men, it is important to be seen as tactical,
autonomous, and less consensual, cooperative and
restrained

49. Helping Leaders Convey Self-Confidence
How can we help leaders develop the ability to
convey self-confidence?
Use 360 feedback to guide leaders as they learn to
convey self-confidence
• We found a very small relationship between felt
and conveyed self-confidence

50. Helping Leaders Convey Self-Confidence
How can we help leaders develop the ability to
convey self-confidence?
Ensure that they are also developing interrelated
competencies
• Leaders who focus on conveying self-confidence
without also developing other leadership skills
face the risk of appearing less effective overall

51. Additional References and Resources
Axelrod, R. H. (2017). Leadership and Self-Confidence. In Leadership Today
(pp. 297-313). Springer, Cham.
Chamorro-Premuzic, T. (July, 2012). Less-confident people are more
successful. HBR.org
Flynn, J., Heath, K., & Holt, M.D. (October, 2011). Four ways women stunt
their careers unintentionally. HBR.org
Guillén, L., Mayo, M., & Karelaia, N. (2018). Appearing self‐confident and
getting credit for it: Why it may be easier for men than women to gain
influence at work. Human Resource Management, 57(4), 839-854.
Kennedy, J. A., Anderson, C., & Moore, D. A. (2013). When overconfidence
is revealed to others: Testing the status-enhancement theory of
overconfidence. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes,
122(2), 266-279.
Locke, Connson C. and Anderson, Cameron (2015) The downside of looking
like a leader: power, nonverbal confidence, and participative decision-
making. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 58. pp. 42-47.
Lunenburg, F. C. (2011). Self-efficacy in the workplace: Implications for
motivation and performance. International journal of management,
business, and administration, 14(1), 1-6.
Murphy, S. C., Barlow, F. K., & von Hippel, W. (2018). A longitudinal test of
three theories of overconfidence. Social Psychological and Personality
Science, 9(3), 353-363.
Vancouver, J. B., & Kendall, L. N. (2006). When self-efficacy negatively
relates to motivation and performance in a learning context. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 91(5), 1146.
Woodman, T., Akehurst, S., Hardy, L., & Beattie, S. (2010). Self-confidence
and performance: A little self-doubt helps. Psychology of Sport and Exercise,
11(6), 467-470.
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