Improving Self-Efficacy Example

This is an example of building self-efficacy within another person.

This team member mentioned to me "I'd love to take on the co-ordinators role for the team, some day, but I'm terrified of getting up in front of a group and talking" (Physiological State of Anxiety and Nervousness). This was a perfect chance to help him improve his self-efficacy. So I replied "If you would let me I'd love to work with you on this - I really believe you can do it - do you remember last week when you spoke at the project group meeting - you did so with such conviction - I know you could replicate this with the bigger team" (Positive feedback).

I then mentioned to the team member that I'd been working with another of his peers who had had similar concerns (Peer Modeling). We both agreed that in a short period of time he would be able to get up in front of a group too with confidence.

We then spent time together working on how he could start to be more vocal in the smaller group - taking the lead in many discussions which he would normally have sat back. After the first time he presented on a topic we sat and discussed what he could improve (Feedback). He found that with a little more preparation beforehand he was able to confidently and articulately participate in the small group discussions (Successful Experience).

Some weeks later he volunteered to lead up a project team. As leader of the project team he had to report back to the larger group. After the meeting he said to me, "You know, that went really well. I never thought I'd be able to talk in front of the group like that, but I did. Now I'm feeling much more confident about applying for the co-ordinators role" (Successful Experience)