There is nothing wrong with being confident in yourself, your actions and your decisions; it is when this confidence clouds your judgment that it becomes a problem. Managers and executives are often noted for their demeanor and the way that they carry themselves; sometimes there are not kinds words spoken. It seems that many times managers and executives are type casted as arrogant and pompous, making decisions off of a whim but this isn’t always the case. A disconnect can occur in leadership when they become overconfident. When this happens the leader goes into an autopilot mode where they feel that they can do no wrong because they have a track record of success. The thing is, people remember their success much more often than their failures. Leading with this type of mentality can be disastrous for a firm and their employees.
It is difficult to go far in business without some sense of confidence because it helps managers push ideas through the system in an effort to achieve results. When overconfidence occurs it places managers in a mode that can overlook potential threats and barriers in a project. The optimism that you have for a project could potentially lead to skewed judgment and troubles down the road.
Overconfidence is often times helpful when putting a plan into action but it should be avoided when you are planning and making decisions. By setting the confidence aside, you are able to look at the raw facts in the situation. You can use solidified data and metrics that ensure that you are being rational and not letting your ego, your past success or future desires get in the way of completing a project.