I often quote Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic‘s reference to a study that shows the overlap between confidence and competence is a mere 9%. There are two sides to this mismatch, or ‘competence gap’:

Confidence > Competence (overconfidence)

Confidence < Competence (under-confidence)

I have worked with so many people in the second category – they are highly competent, yet they underestimate their competence.

Part of this is because they have been overtly told, or have absorbed the covert message, that they are “too quiet” to be many things – successful/ a leader/ influential/ a good speaker/ good at networking and more.

Sometimes, this mismatch is because they have been conditioned to play safe or not stand out. Or they have had experiences where they felt small and haven’t found their way out.

I’m so inspired by working with people who suddenly realise they have underestimated themselves. It’s like a light switches on inside, and the transformation on the outside is awesome to see.

Organisations benefit in many ways from unlocking the potential in those whose competence outweighs their confidence. When confidence grows in people who are competent, their performance potential is limitless.

The overlap between confidence and competence is a mere 9%!

On the opposite side, overconfidence can be risky, can hinder innovation or collective intelligence, limit self-awareness and reduce coachability. There may be a limit to the performance potential of those who are overconfident, especially if they do not see or acknowledge the competence gap.

Have you witnessed this ‘competence gap’ within yourself or others? What have you done to close the gap?

If you feel like you are underestimating yourself, you may want to try the 3 minute quiz: What’s the best career development strategy for YOU, as a quiet achiever? It will help you uncover what might be holding you back, and what you can do about it. Take the quiz here: https://bit.ly/3VXF9xE.

If you would like to learn more about the organisational impact of overlooking the talent of people who are competent but don’t fit the stereotype of the traditional, confident leader, I invite you to read the white paper: Rethink talent: 7 reasons why you are losing your best leadership talent and what it’s costing organisations at https://colossal-artist-4694.ck.page/acb7c47416.

This article is Lesson 1 in a series on ‘8 lessons from 8 years of Quietly Powerful’. View the other posts at #QP8thbirthday.

Written by Megumi Miki, with Anna Reeve and Leigh Gassner, co-founders of Leaders who Listen. We aim to develop leaders who create a listening environment of safety and space within their organisations to enable better decision making, drive growth and innovation, enhance collaboration and inclusion, and manage risk. If you’d like to understand how your leadership team can engage in productive disagreements, contact us about our Leaders who Listen assessment tools, presentations, masterclasses and development programs.