Women in Agile and the

Confidence Code

Let’s try and experiment…..

Men – blue or green card; Women – pink or purple card

Answer these two questions:

On a scale of 1-10, how confident are you in your

performance in your current job?

On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to submit at least

one conference proposal next year (any Agile

conference)?

What is Confidence?

Confidence Cousins

Self Esteem

Self-Efficacy

20% less valuable

Marilyn Davidson Experiment –

Manchester Business school

UK 2011 Study

Linda Babcock – Carnegie

Mellon (Women don’t Ask)

Dunning-Kruger

effect

Wired for Confidence?

YES and NO!

Short vs Long Strand

Some genes make us

NOT more vulnerable to the Environment,

but more sensitive

So why do women have less

confidence?

DUB

‘If life were one long

grade school, women

would rule the world’

(Carol Dweck)

The New Nurture

Confidence is a choice. We can make a

choice to act, or do or decide

Let’s Review – What is Confidence…

While genetics play a role, other factors play a

bigger one

‘If life were lone long grade school, women

would rule the world.’

Confidence is born out of action – and we can

choose to act, do or decide

What do Women in Agile say?

Lissa AdkinsAgile Coaching Instituteand Author

Cat ConnerManaging Director at SIQ

Esther DerbyAgile/change Management Consultant and Author

Ellen GroveAgile Coach and Trainer

What does confidence mean to you?

Self Esteem

Self-Efficacy

• Believing you are worthy

• Believe in yourself to do something (or at

least try)

• Growth vs fixed mindset

• Comfort in expressing who you are and

advocating your idea

• Believing and Trusting in yourself and abilities

– can deal with what comes up

• Having faith in yourself (not bravado &

courage)

Does Confidence Manifest itself

differently in men than women?

Boys and girls are socialized differently which results

in how confidence is seen

Cultural paradigms that inform mental models in

regards to culture – Structures in place to allow

men to have more freedom to express themselves

Men have an allowance to do more (experiment

and grow) that fosters confidence

Men seem to care less about what others think of

them than women do

When something goes wrong, women tend to look

at themselves and men tend to look at causes

DUB

‘If life were one long grade school, women would rule the world’

Is confidence genetic, learned or

both?

Epigenetics research – trauma from past generations

can manifest itself into our DNA

Confidence is learned and related to our

environment (how boys and girls are raised) – boys

encouraged to go out and try things, get dirty, be

bold; girls are taught to maintain appearance, be

careful and to put others first

Some is hardwiring but also comes from experience

as well; can be gained through experience (choices)

The Science and the Art

What Can women do to build

confidence?

Kill the NATS and those people that kill the NATS (be

self aware)

Have a growth mind-set – see the possibilities

Ask yourself why you shouldn’t do something, what’s

stopping me?

Get a role model/mentor

Get support – surround yourself with people who will

encourage you to take risks and help you see things

you yourself don’t see

CONFIDENT

Kicker – How do you remain confident?

Have a life/professional coach

Give up the myth that I should be confident all the time

Expend the time and energy reflecting on

accomplishments

Yoga/Meditation to get grounded

Worry less about what others think and just do it

Challenge yourself to master something new

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Experiment Results

Let’s get some Confidence on!

Fail Fast

Don’t ruminate – Rewire

Kill the NATS

From ME to WE

It’s not personal

Practice, Practice, Practice

Pass it on