Lawyers as Leaders - Leading Women Lawyers

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Confidence Matters

Have you ever noticed how your self-confidence can ebb and flow like a rip tide? One moment you feel on top of the world, the next (sometimes for no apparent reason) your confidence deserts you in a puff of smoke and you are left in the depth of despair.

Confidence in yourself is one of the main factors which determines your success. So if you were asked to give top tips re self-confidence what would they be?

Good preparation and planning?
Knowledge of subject?
Expand your comfort zone?

A lesser-known confidence ingredient is the level of your self-efficacy. How you view your ability to influence the outcome in any given situation. E.g. public speaking, presenting a case in court, dealing with difficult clients (or colleagues).

The quickest way to boost your feelings of self-efficacy and confidence is by changing your mindset “People with high self-efficacy and assurance in their capabilities approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered rather than as threats to be avoided." Albert Bandura studied the theory of self-efficacy and also found people with a strong sense of self-efficacy:

Develop deeper interest in the activities in which they participate
Form a stronger sense of commitment to their interests and activities
Recover quickly from setbacks and disappointments

We also know that the reverse is true. People with a reduced feeling of self-efficacy or confidence can

Avoid challenging tasks
Believe that difficult tasks and situations are beyond their capabilities
Focus on personal failings and negative outcomes
Quickly lose confidence in personal abilities

Action steps

One way to boost your self-efficacy is to create a success folder
Keep a note of all the thank yous and recognition you have received
Make a list of everything that you have achieved in the past year. Include in that list everything that you learnt in the past year, concentrating on things that you have achieved which you once thought were completely out of your grasp which you no longer cause you anxiety

“Only the limits of our mindset can determine the boundaries of our future”

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Until next time and best wishes

Jane Wintringham

Leading Women Lawyers, Develop4choice, 20 Thornfield Road, West Park, Leeds LS16 5AR, United Kingdom
Tel 0113 305 3604 | Email: info@leadingwomenlawyers.co.uk