{"id":48124,"date":"2019-11-15T19:19:37","date_gmt":"2019-11-15T16:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/?p=48124"},"modified":"2020-09-08T15:33:15","modified_gmt":"2020-09-08T15:33:15","slug":"confidence-gap-differences-between-men-and-women","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeadvancer.com\/confidence-gap-differences-between-men-and-women\/","title":{"rendered":"The Confidence Gap Shows the Differences between Men and Women"},"content":{"rendered":"

The confidence gap is an interesting concept. Closely linked to imposter syndrome, it is the disparity in confidence levels between men and women. A person in the same scenario, with the same experiences, might feel very differently<\/a> about their chance of success dependant on their gender.<\/p>\n

So why does the confidence gap exist, and what can we do about it?<\/p>\n

Is the confidence gap real?<\/h2>\n

There are several schools of thought here. Some feel that the confidence gap is absolutely real and that women need to work on self-projection and assertiveness to access the same possibilities as men.<\/p>\n

Others feel that the confidence gap isn\u2019t so much a \u2018real thing<\/em>\u2019, more a reaction to unequal treatment of women \u2013 particularly in the workplace \u2013 through the years. This is attributed to lots of factors such as pay differences and sexist cultural norms.<\/p>\n

From either perspective, it remains true that women tend to be commercially outperformed by men. Whether we consider the differences in pay for non-gender related roles or the proportion of women in top corporate positions, there is clearly a variance.<\/p>\n

Whilst the tide is turning, with campaigns such as Flex Appeal working to provide a more inclusive working environment<\/a> for mothers of young children, what can you do to feel more confident, and keep pace with your male colleagues?<\/p>\n

Where does the confidence gap begin?<\/h3>\n

Often (although of course not always<\/em>) girls tend to be less confident<\/a> than boys. Most of our behaviors originate from childhood, and it stands to reason that lifelong traits are established early on.<\/p>\n

A study by the US National Bureau of Economic Research bears this out, finding that young female students perform less well <\/strong>when co-educated with high performing male peers. Whether this is because of an impact on their academic confidence whilst studying in a co-educational environment is not easy to establish.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, culture is borne from childhood; so working with children to reinforce their self-confidence<\/a> is essential to stop the confidence gap in its tracks.<\/p>\n

What can women do to assert their confidence?<\/h3>\n

Wherever the confidence gap comes from, there are techniques and practices that can assist women in improving both their self-esteem and self-confidence. Both factors are innately linked.<\/p>\n

Improving your mindset<\/h4>\n

To enhance your self-confidence<\/a>, you must first be able to recognize and appreciate your accomplishments and strengths. Being able to acknowledge your strengths allows you to take ownership of what you bring to the table, and to provide you with a solid foundation on which to build.<\/p>\n

There are simple ways to do this:<\/h5>\n