Building Confidence: A Multi-Disciplinary Analysis

Introduction: Confidence as a Multi-Disciplinary Concept

Confidence is a somewhat abstract concept that can be studied from an array of different perspectives and is relevant to nearly any course of study or profession. It is not only important to work to build confidence in yourself, but it is equally important to understand how you and others build confidence in other people or systems. For example, you may intuitively feel confident in someone else's decision-making ability based on personal heuristics that may not accurately reflect the situation — meaning the confidence bestowed is not really deserved. Developing a basic understanding of confidence can therefore be useful on many levels.

This analysis uses a multi-disciplinary method of investigation to build a comprehensive understanding of confidence based on a wide range of perspectives. The analysis draws on research that focuses on confidence in a range of different circumstances, such as giving speeches, improvising jazz vocals, determining investor behavior, and even the fate of entire countries. It was found that preparation and a level of accumulated knowledge can help build personal confidence. Furthermore, it was also found that individuals often base their confidence on heuristics, which can be influenced by levels of knowledge, professionalism, and even culture.

Confidence in Public Speaking and Impromptu Presentations

There are many strategies proposed in the literature for developing confidence, depending on the circumstances. In the business world, for instance, it is often extremely important to deliver effective presentations with a level of confidence. However, public speaking does not come easily to everyone and can be a daunting experience. Many people are fearful of making presentations, yet the ability to think on one's feet and to deliver presentations is a skill that employers desire in their employees (Blaszcynski & Green, 2010). Although prepared presentations can be frightening in themselves, impromptu presentations — regardless of length — can be even more terrifying, and it definitely takes a level of confidence to overcome these emotions. Impromptu speeches are common in business and are delivered on the spur of the moment with minimal preparation (Blaszcynski & Green, 2010).

Some researchers have outlined a four-step process that promotes becoming an authentic speaker. Those steps include four intents: to be open, to connect, to be passionate, and to listen (Blaszcynski & Green, 2010). Yet many people have natural tendencies that are not quite consistent with these steps. For example, it is common for individuals to use fillers as they talk — such as "uh," "er," "um," "like," and "you know" — which can signal to an audience that the speaker lacks confidence. These fillers can also be considered distracting or annoying to listeners. One strategy for practicing speech without fillers is to record your own speaking habits and systematically work on them. Once you can overcome the habit of using fillers, you can quickly build confidence in your presentations (Blaszcynski & Green, 2010).

Confidence Through Education: Vocal Jazz Improvisation

Another situation that can be daunting for some individuals is singing in front of others — especially attempting to sing in an improvisational style before an audience. It is reasonable to believe that to accomplish such a task with any level of success, confidence would be of paramount importance. One study attempted to determine whether an intensive vocal jazz workshop could significantly enhance both the improvisation skills of choral music education majors and their confidence to teach it (Ward-Steniman, 2014). Students were first asked to improvise a jazz song in order to establish a baseline. They then attended an eight-day workshop covering both improvisation and stylistic aspects of vocal jazz. The research found that attending the workshop significantly improved students' confidence levels when attempting to improvise jazz vocals. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that education and preparation can significantly improve confidence, even in a task as daunting as improvising jazz vocals in front of other people.

Conclusion: Commitment as a Foundation for Confidence

While improvising jazz vocals in front of other individuals may seem frightening, dealing with a hostile nation in which both parties have fairly consistently used the threat of violence — as well as violent action — is on a whole new level. The Israeli-Palestinian case illustrates that even carefully designed confidence-building frameworks cannot succeed without genuine commitment from the parties involved. It is therefore reasonable to conclude that commitment to success is one factor necessary to build confidence. Without commitment, neither individuals nor nations can overcome the obstacles present in order to build and sustain confidence.

Taken together, the studies examined in this analysis suggest that confidence — whether personal, professional, or geopolitical — is not a fixed trait but a dynamic quality that can be cultivated through preparation, knowledge, professionalism, and sustained engagement. Understanding these drivers offers practical guidance for anyone seeking to develop confidence in themselves or to inspire it in others.

References

Bang, D., Fusaroli, R., Tylen, K., Oslen, K., Latham, P., Lau, J., . . . Bahrami, B. (2014). Does interaction matter? Testing whether a confidence heuristic can replace interaction in collective decision-making. Consciousness and Cognition, 13–23.

Blaszcynski, C., & Green, D. (2010). Speaking off the cuff: Strategies and activities for developing presentation confidence. Journal of Applied Research for Business, 1–6.

Bzostek, R., & Rogers, A. (2014). Oslo +20: Reassessing the role of confidence building measures. The Social Science Journal, 250–259.

Ward-Steniman, P. (2014). Developing improvisation skill and the confidence to teach it. Choral Journal, 59–63.

Yang, S., Hsu, Y., & Chiayu, T. (2012). How do traders influence investor confidence and trading volume? A dyad study in the futures market. Emerging Markets Finance & Trade, 23–35.