When I was the program chairman for the EMT Department at TSTC, my students would do internships at various hospitals at night and on weekends. A couple of the smaller hospitals didn't require it, but Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen required that the program have a proctor in the hospital in the event that they ran up against a problem involving my students. Usually, I would hire one of my past graduates to proctor students, and sometimes I would do it myself. Proctors were issued identification badges by the hospital that we were to have attached to our shirts or around our necks in order to enter the building. One weekend a scheduled proctor called me at the last minute to say that he wasn't going to be able to make it. I was in town, at the campus, but my VBMC badge was at home, about forty miles in the other direction. I decided that I'd see if I could get in without the badge. I entered the front door and was approaching the elevator when the security guard came over. Although he knew who I was, I couldn't enter the building without a badge. I had students who were likely to be sent home if there wasn't a proctor there. What to do? I realized that on all of the other days and nights that I had entered the hospital, it didn't seem like the guard even looked in my direction, let alone check for my badge. Why now? I went to the other entrance of the hospital, where there would be a different guard, and walked in carrying a clipboard as if I owned the place, and the guard never even looked in my direction, as far as I could tell. It could have been a fluke or an inattentive guard, but I don't think so. Over the next few years, there were a couple of other times that I needed to check on students without my ID badge, and as long as I walked in with confidence, there were no problems. Confidence is why it's easier to get a job when you already have a job or to be hired when you don't really need the job.
Hi Ken, Chase Hughes is an interesting guy. You referenced him in another post and I like the guy. I am considering taking one of his courses. I watched the new video on confidence and once again he makes a lot of sense. I like the way you handled your situation with getting into the building without a badge. On your second attempt to get in, you carried a prop (clipboard) and acted like you owned the place. Great story and believable. What kind of thoughts did you use to get into that confident mood where you felt like you owned the place? What kind of self-talk prepped you for the second attempt? Thanks.
Remembering all the times that I had gone in with a badge, and the confidence that I had then, knowing that I had the ticket to get in, I just put myself in the same frame of mind. Similarly, when I left Champion Paper Company, it was with a large severance package and profit-sharing settlement. My last day at Champion was on a Friday in Anaheim, California, and I started my new job at Duro Bag in Brownsville, Texas on the following Monday, at the same pay. Because I was making good money, I didn't need to touch the money in the bank. Thus, for the rest of my working life, I approached new jobs with the confidence of someone who didn't really need the job, and I have no doubt that helped immensely during interviews. When I lived in Southern California, there was a group of criminals who would walk into corporate offices during working hours wearing a uniform, and simply announce that they were there to pick up different things, even computers that people were using, referring to a fake work order to pick the items up, saying things like the orders were to switch them out for new models or whatever. The van that they would park in front of the building would have a company logo (probably magnetic). They acted like they were there under orders, and they knew what they were doing, and they got away with it several times. The uniforms afforded legitimacy but, even more than that, when people see someone in uniform, they tend to remember the uniform rather than the face and other features. There too, it wasn't the van, the uniforms, or the fake work orders, so much. Mostly, they came in with all the confidence of someone who had every right to do what they were doing.
Thanks, Ken. What I am learning from your post is to focus on previous successes in preparation for the next challenge. Since creating confidence is a mind game, I think visualizing past successes is very good advice. In fact, I think the visualizations can even exaggerate the successes being remembered. If time permits, visualize huge successes in the upcoming situation. Repeat as needed. The next idea I picked up from your post was how relaxed you were during the move from Champion Paper to Euro Bag. Relaxation when challenged would be very impressive. It smacks of confidence. Saying you didn’t care if you got the job shows a level of detachment that would give confidence. How Buddhist! A buddhist believes it is okay to do your best, but if something doesn’t work out, then so what, move on to something that will work. The third idea is the prop, even if it is only in my imagination. An an imaginary prop I have used is visualizing an angel on my shoulder who will help me in the situation.
When you walk in like you belong there, people assume that you belong there or that you're the right person for the job.
When I applied for the position of program chairman for the EMT program at TSTC, that was the first time that I had actually had to interview for a professional-level job. Since my previous teaching experience had been limited to off-campus teaching for a rival college, some on-campus fill-in stuff, and as training coordinator for the EMS company that had the contract for McAllen and some surrounding Texas cities, I hadn't considered even applying for the position. However, the regional director for the Texas Department of Health suggested that I apply. Then, he decided to apply as well, along with a half dozen other people with varying qualifications. I spent a little bit of time one day trying to prepare for potential questions that I would be asked during the interview; then, since I had no idea what questions were likely to come up, I decided that I'd just wing it and treat the interview as a conversation. I had money in the bank and I was already the training coordinator for what was then the largest ambulance company in the Rio Grande Valley, so I didn't need the job and wasn't positive that I wanted to leave the job I had. As it turned out, the Dean, with whom I interviewed, was from the small city where I had started out in EMS, and where I still lived. My first paid job in EMS was as EMS Director for that city, where I was also the health inspector and building inspector. We spent some time talking about people who we both knew from there, and he asked about the positions I had held in EMS, which had pretty much been all of them at one time or another. We joked with each other. The interview was more like someone I might have met in a restaurant who was interested in what I did for a living. A couple of days later, he called to tell me that I was hired. As for Chase Hughes, yeah I listen to or watch most of his stuff, as well as a couple of the other people in the Behavior Panel, which he is part of.
Cool! You have had a very interesting career! I'm retired so I won't be interviewing for a job. But your advice on building confidence will work in other areas of my life. I can see how visualizing my past successes can improve social and business areas of my life. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Great topic and an excellent video, @Ken Anderson. I have never associated the word 'confidence' to my myself or been told that I am confident in anything that I do or have done. Not that it mattered to me. When I look back and on to today I find that unconsciously I must have been confident as per the host in the video mentioned 'the permission' thingy. Somewhere deep inside that 'permission' was there and I used it and still today. Short story. My oldest son just said to me. "Look at you, you got your lawnmower working and you put in the headlight bulb on the Jeep." with the biggest smile on his face. Every sign of a proud son of his mother.
@Von Jones, from what I can see from your posts, about the projects you're working on, I am highly impressed. Yes, confidence doesn't have to be overbearing, as with someone who thinks s/he's better than everyone else. Whatever the reason, you get things done and you get them done right.
Confidence based on knowledge is why I was able to do all the things I have done. I held off doing anything that I had doubts about. I did more study, gained confidence, and then went about doing it and not letting any setbacks discourage me. I think those that brag and think they are better than others, actually lack confidence.
Well, one thing I do have is............confidence! But, I do remember telling a co-worker, at my last job, that our Supervisor/Director was better than both of us. He said, "why do you think that?" and I told him "because he's making the much better salary and definitely has the better education." After thinking about what I said, the co-worker agreed.
What is funny, I thought of horseback riding when I read this thread. Horses are very sensitive to the confidence of the rider. They can handle almost anything with a rider who communicates well with confidence. They might act up or waver if they are the 'smart' ones who need to take control to 'save the herd'.
Right on Mary. I was never a skilled rider, but the horses I used in roundups or range riding were seasoned cow horses and I was just along for the ride. Watching the experienced horses and dogs work is what gave me confidence. The horse would feel the confidence I had in it. I think the secret to gaining confidence is not being afraid to fail.
Believing that just because someone has a higher education, position and salary somehow means that they are better is a huge mistake. The person who can utilize his or her education in order to do better things definitely has an advantage and some do aspire to greater heights but to cite that someone is better just because of an educational degree or even a higher education is false. I have more letters before and behind my name than my name has in it but I know of many people without those letters who have a far better grasp of those studies I am supposed to be totally proficient in. I always remember the words of a very wise person who told me that there is no such thing as an unconquerable record. He also followed with: Every hardworking person has the opportunity to be the best at what they do but how long he keeps that title is up to some other hardworking person.