In her book Confidence: How Winning and Losing Streaks Begin and End, Rosabeth Moss Kanter (004) points out that a great deal has to do with confidence. Simply put, those who are confident they will achieve the desired outcome tend to invest appropriate resources, stick with a strategy when they hit a trouble spot, and persevere. Those who lack confidence tend to under invest, give up on strategies, and go back to the drawing board more frequently.
Consider the gambler. If she is confident that she will ultimately accumulate enough winnings that she can call it quits and declare victory, she will continue to bet the same amount per hand. By betting the same amount, she realizes that all she needs now is luck. Those who lack confidence, however, tend to abandon the steady course and wager less (thus when, they win they win less) or over wager in an attempt to get back on top.
Let’s think about schools. Schools that are confident in their ability to achieve desired outcomes apply appropriate resources (money, time, energy) into their efforts. They don’t give up when things move more slowly. Schools that lack confidence abandon plans, move staff, and adopt prescriptive curricula.
Are you confident that you are on the right track to achieving the desired results for your school? Do you believe that the students in your class can pass the standardized test? Are the resources you are currently committing commensurate with your level of confidence?

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