Lesson 5: Ask for Help | Martin Gonzalez

Confidence is a double-edged sword. Although it can boost your performance and motivate you to do well, it can also make it easy for you — and others — to assume you’ve got everything under control. Google DeepMind’s Org Development Lead Martin Gonzalez says that even the most capable people could use an assist every now and then. But to receive it, they need to be open to it. In this video lesson, Gonzalez encourages leaders to develop a balance between humility and self-assurance. The Trap of Confidence: Failing to strike a balance between overconfidence, which can lead to prediction errors, and underconfidence, which can lead to quitting Innovators tend to be most confident at the beginning of their journey. As they realize what it takes to succeed, their confidence takes a hit. Developing Confident Humility Effective leaders are confident in the mission and clear about the shortcomings they bring to the work. They surround themselves with people who complement those weaknesses. If you’re feeling very confident, you might not be seeing the full picture. Give people license to challenge your ideas. Lay out your idea and ask: Where could this go wrong? 2 Ways to Battle Self-Doubt Find someone you can be vulnerable with outside of your team. Talk through the work challenges you’re experiencing. Help people through their own journeys. This can remind you of the distance you’ve traveled and what you can give back to others. © Freethink Media Inc., All Rights Reserved. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Go Deeper with Big Think: ►Become a Big Think Youtube Member Get exclusive classes and early, ad-free access to new releases without leaving Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/@bigthink/membership/ ►Become a Big Think Web Member Get the entire Big Think Class library, premium print issues, live events, and more. https://bigthink.com/membership/ ►Subscribe to Big Think on Substack Get all of your favorite Big Think content delivered to your inbox. https://bigthinkmedia.substack.com/subscribe/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Martin Gonzalez: Martin Gonzalez is the co-creator of Google’s Effective Founders Project and the co-author of The Bonfire Moment.