Researchers have determined that intellectual confidence is part of our DNA, proving again that what you know is overshadowed by what you believe.

An article in New Scientist reports the finding:

These genetic differences predict grades in school, says Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, a psychologist at Goldsmiths University in London, whose team found that 7- to 10-year-old children who achieved the best marks in school tended to rate their own abilities highly, even after accounting for differences due to intelligence and environment.

Put simply, the scientific evidence of “believing in yourself” is connected to actual success. In school and at work there is a direct relationship between productivity and satisfaction. People who are confident in their abilities tend to be competent. Engendering a culture of empowerment can transform the success of a workplace.

However, organizations must be careful not to have total faith in confidence alone. As The Methodology Blog covered earlier this year, leadership roles are often awarded to those who speak up, not for actual expertise. Likewise, we at Slaughter Development often identify countercompetence instead of competence. In fact, people who are brave enough to say “that’s not my job” may actually benefit the organization most of all.

Businesses small and large should support their workers and encourage them to believe in their own abilities. Yet at the same time, the organization should help employees identify strengths and weaknesses to enable collaboration.  Successful operations are confident and cognizant. Reach out to Slaughter Development to learn more about working smarter through stakeholder engagement.

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