3 ms·

It is shocking how far being self-confident can carry you, despite having very little skill or being completely wrong. I've worked with several engineers who a

by steven2012 11y ago

It is shocking how far being self-confident can carry you, despite having very little skill or being completely wrong. I've worked with several engineers who are extremely confident in themselves, talk with complete confidence and authority, and are generally wrong. One engineer I worked with recently almost took down our entire company with his terrible code. And yet, everyone keeps going to him for answers, etc. I think it's just human nature. Underconfidence is the exact opposite. Conducting you with underconfidence will lead to no one taking you seriously. Unfortunately, moving up in your career requires for you to convince people to have confidence in you, so this is a skill everyone needs to learn.

taurath 11y ago
A simple record of getting things done well and accurately will make people take you seriously in good organizations more than any amount of confidence.
- fapjacks 11y ago
  I wish it were like that. Depends on the organization.
- mswen 11y ago
  Those of us with engineering or mathematical background wish that what you assert would be consistently true. My own experience in medium to large corporations indicates that this is only partially true and often requires substantial endurance and sub-par compensation before it begins to work out. I like Jason Roberts article on Luck Surface Area http://www.codusoperandi.com/posts/increasing-your-luck-surface-area http://www.codusoperandi.com/posts/increasing-your-luck-surf... This rings much closer to the truth in my experience. The best results are some combination of what you suggest plus the confidence and ability to communicate about the good work that you have done.
  - taurath 11y ago
    True - having absolutely no communication is a good way to get put into the back room and fired in a round of budget cuts because nobody knows what you do, but I consider that to be relatively uncommon rather than the rule. A minimum amount of soft skills are required for almost any job.

taurath 11y ago

A simple record of getting things done well and accurately will make people take you seriously in good organizations more than any amount of confidence.

fapjacks 11y ago
I wish it were like that. Depends on the organization.
mswen 11y ago
Those of us with engineering or mathematical background wish that what you assert would be consistently true. My own experience in medium to large corporations indicates that this is only partially true and often requires substantial endurance and sub-par compensation before it begins to work out. I like Jason Roberts article on Luck Surface Area http://www.codusoperandi.com/posts/increasing-your-luck-surface-area http://www.codusoperandi.com/posts/increasing-your-luck-surf... This rings much closer to the truth in my experience. The best results are some combination of what you suggest plus the confidence and ability to communicate about the good work that you have done.
- taurath 11y ago
  True - having absolutely no communication is a good way to get put into the back room and fired in a round of budget cuts because nobody knows what you do, but I consider that to be relatively uncommon rather than the rule. A minimum amount of soft skills are required for almost any job.