Three Ways To Enhance Your Performance By 28%!

Self-belief is a powerful force, both for individuals and teams.

Put simply; if you believe you can do something, then you’re probably right and yet if you don’t believe it, then you are probably right as well.

Without self-belief there is no tenacity, resilience, or inventiveness.

Difficult stuff doesn’t get done well.

You notice the lack of self-belief in the eyes, words and body language of people who give up when the going gets difficult. Some even give up at first base.

And let’s admit it.

Sometimes we are in one camp, and sometimes in the other. Seems as if we get to choose how successful we can be for different situations and tasks, right?

The great news is that it is possible to boost both your individual and team’s performance massively.

Studies (see Reference at end) have shown that work to target improvements in “efficacy”  can result in average gains of 28% in task performance.

And get this.

This 28% uplift compares to the lesser improvements associated with setting goals (10%), feedback (14%), and skills training (17%).

There is a place for all of these approaches, of course.

BUT how many organisations understand and actively invest in the development of task-based confidence and self-belief for individuals?

And how much less so for teams?

Well, we are teaming up with our good friends at Milward, Consultants in Strategic Leadership’ to explore more about self and group efficacy in the coming weeks.

In the meantime try these three things, whether you are an individual or a team:

  1. Go and do the actual task live. BUT do it with a learning frame of mind. Have a coach help you make sense of your mental approach as well as your performance.
  2. Do a simulation of the task, or an activity that models aspects of the task. Involve movement, spark the emotions, and engage your spirit. If you have time run the cycle a number of times, each one slightly more challenging than the former. Again, use a coach to help you make sense of the experience. A great sequence is Explanation, Demonstration, Imitation, Cogitation and Celebration.
  3. Surround yourself with great people who will consciously and unconsciously encourage your belief in task achievement.

And if this has sparked your interest, then read more about self-efficacy here by Andy Milward.

Dave

Dave Stewart                                                                                                                               Managing Director

Reference:

Stajkovic, A., Luthans, F. (1998) Self Efficacy and Work Related Performance: A Meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, Vol 124, No. 2, 240-261