Confidence according to Oxford Reference Dictionary is “a belief and self-assurance in one’s own abilities”.

Confidence is situation-specific, and includes having an expectation of success.

Confidence is also a belief in another person’s abilities.

Professional confidence can then be described as a belief and self-assurance in the abilities, knowledge, skills and competence of a professional.

Professional confidence for example is a belief in the abilities of a manager, practitioner, pilot, plumber, technician, dentist, social worker, teacher, solicitor, gas engineer, carpenter, surgeon, optician, etc.

At work, colleagues rely on the skills, knowledge and competence of one another. Information from email, reports, conversations, etc is relied upon for decision-making. A report, advice, opinion, assessment, etc that inspires confidence enables swift decision-making.

In contrast, colleagues, management teams, boards and so on may delay decision-making where there is little confidence in a report, advice, opinion, assessment, etc as well as the source or author.

Professional confidence is necessary. In fact, in the current world economic recession, business confidence in certain situation is lacking due to uncertainty in financial liquidity, consumer/customer/client behaviour, present or future action, etc. Other than satisfaction in the benefits of a product or service, confidence in the product or service’s ability to meet certain expectations is important.

Any organisation that provides a product or service will need to demonstrate to the recipient that he or she can have confidence in the product or service’s ability. The degree of confidence that colleagues, boards, management, etc have on a person depends on their abilities, knowledge, skills, competence, results, reputation, etc.

In sports it is described at times that the sport person has ‘lost’ his or her confidence.

It is possible for any one to lose his or her confidence.

Hence the questions: How do you develop/increase professional confidence? How will you regain professional confidence? How will you regain the confidence that colleagues have in you, your opinion, advice, report or observation?

Developing professional confidence has a lot to do with your skills, knowledge, abilities, and competence. Skills, knowledge, abilities and competence need to be sharpened for effectiveness and efficiency.