Performance: It's a Head Game

Building confidence always seems to be the crux of the job in my role as management consultant. In most situations different plans have an equal chance of succeeding, but the team has to get behind one plan and they have to believe it's The Right Plan. Belief alone gets you half way across the finish line.

This inspiring quote about the effect of training on confidence and peak performance comes from the book "Rocket Men" by Craig Nelson.

"I always find that when time came for a mission, there was just and incredible degree of just solitude. You just felt comfortable... The adrenaline's pumping, but you have this incredible confidence in your team and in yourself as a result of... training... (It's) given you confidence.... This instructor has given you this absolute confidence in your ability to get the job done. You never think about: 'If I get airborne I've got to get back to ground I may crash'." Gene Kranz, Mission Control Chief Apollo 11 flight team.

As a manager, coach or a teacher how do you give you kids, you athletes and your team members absolute confidence in their ability to perform during a competition or on a test?