The Secret to Expressing Self-Confidence

Do we reward, promote and respect ultra-confident people, or doubt and distrust them?  The answer: It depends on how they express it!

One way people express confidence is with words of faith in their own abilities.  Another way is nonverbally, using body language and tone of voice.  Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Elizabeth R. Tenney, assistant professor at the Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, reports that In a series of studies, researchers found that overconfidence can damage your reputation — but only if you express that confidence verbally.  When you express confidence nonverbally, those negative consequences fade away.

Talking about your likelihood of success by making bold predictions can backfire when results don't meet your projections.  When this happens, your reputation can suffer.  But communicating confidence nonverbally, can be seen as powerful and compelling:  Confident people tend to speak in a louder vs soft voice, offering their own opinions, and generally conveying a larger presence. 

So how should you communicate confidence in a way that garners positive attention and influence in groups?  According to this new research, when you express confidence verbally, your credibility may suffer.  However, your expression of confidence nonverbally can be a significant advantage.  The reason: nonverbal behavior is not so clearly tied to a specific, falsifiable claim as are verbal expressions.

How do you evaluate whether someone seems confident, and what is your response if their results are not what you expected?  To join the conversation, click "comments" below.

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